7 ms·

If it were a meaningless place, there wouldn't be such a strong police response. From the linked Huffington Post article, trial run activists were arrested with

by ynniv 15y ago

If it were a meaningless place, there wouldn't be such a strong police response. From the linked Huffington Post article, trial run activists were arrested without cause and released without charges. Contrast that with another reported protest where folks camped outside City Hall for three weeks with minimal response.

Locke1689 15y ago
I imagine any mass protest in the Manhattan business district wouldn't be taken to kindly. Remember that the right to organize and petition for a redress of grievances is directed towards the government. You actually have no right to protest and impede traffic in private areas.
- morganw 15y ago
  Wall St. is a public street. Built by, maintained by and policed by NYC.
  - Locke1689 15y ago
    If they're actually confining themselves to the sidewalk, maybe, but if they're impeding traffic that's cause for arrest.
tptacek 15y ago
It's not a meaningless place. It's heavily secured, because it's perceived to be a target for violence. But he's right; staging a protest there won't slow down trading.
yummyfajitas 15y ago
This has nothing to do with Wall St, and everything to do with NYC cops being out of control. The NYPD uses similar tactics against innocent bikers and anyone else they don't like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUkiyBVytRQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUkiyBVytRQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IORuR5iRuxs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IORuR5iRuxs I've heard that the NYPD is even going after people practicing parkour now, though I haven't seen it on youtube yet. (Full disclosure: I got picked up during one of these incidents. The judge dismissed all charges after the cop lied and I showed videotape proving it.)
- prodigal_erik 15y ago
  Critical Mass is a bunch of thugs conspiring to break laws, obstruct traffic, and threaten and enrage the same people every legitimate bicyclist was hoping to coexist with. I'm no fan of violence but "corkers" should be arrested.
  - yummyfajitas 15y ago
    If that's the case, how come the cops find the need to lie about critical mass activities on a regular basis? Shouldn't the video tapes recorded by critical mass participants be evidence enough of their guilt? It's quite strange how these "thugs" make every attempt to record themselves when they "break laws" and the cops try to stop them from recording. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aT9p36fgHU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aT9p36fgHU I wonder - would the police also attempt to prevent the mafia from wiretapping their own phones?
- palish 15y ago
  Just curious, how did you get a videotape? I wish I had an "Oh boy, here comes a police officer" button, which records the entire event. But obviously there is no such device. I'm terrified at the idea of pulling out a cameraphone during any police interaction, due to the possibility of being prosecuted / imprisoned for violating their expectation of privacy. I'm relatively poor, and no one really cares what happens to me, so I wouldn't be able to fight the courts.
  - yummyfajitas 15y ago
    Another participant recorded the incident with a handlebar cam. She gave me the recording and offered me advice on how to fight the charges.
    - palish 15y ago
      (Different topic, out of curiosity.) Why bother protesting anything at all? I mean, we're both smart people. Surely we agree that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aT9p36fgHU#t=3m35s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aT9p36fgHU#t=3m35s indicates the police can do whatever they want, and nobody really cares except the victim. And there's really nothing to do about it, or any way to change it. Nobody cares about protests except the protesters. I wish it weren't that way, but, given that things are that way, then why bother fighting?

by ynniv 15y ago

Locke1689 15y ago

I imagine any mass protest in the Manhattan business district wouldn't be taken to kindly. Remember that the right to organize and petition for a redress of grievances is directed towards the government. You actually have no right to protest and impede traffic in private areas.

morganw 15y ago
Wall St. is a public street. Built by, maintained by and policed by NYC.
- Locke1689 15y ago
  If they're actually confining themselves to the sidewalk, maybe, but if they're impeding traffic that's cause for arrest.

tptacek 15y ago

It's not a meaningless place. It's heavily secured, because it's perceived to be a target for violence. But he's right; staging a protest there won't slow down trading.

yummyfajitas 15y ago

This has nothing to do with Wall St, and everything to do with NYC cops being out of control. The NYPD uses similar tactics against innocent bikers and anyone else they don't like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUkiyBVytRQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUkiyBVytRQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IORuR5iRuxs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IORuR5iRuxs I've heard that the NYPD is even going after people practicing parkour now, though I haven't seen it on youtube yet. (Full disclosure: I got picked up during one of these incidents. The judge dismissed all charges after the cop lied and I showed videotape proving it.)

prodigal_erik 15y ago
Critical Mass is a bunch of thugs conspiring to break laws, obstruct traffic, and threaten and enrage the same people every legitimate bicyclist was hoping to coexist with. I'm no fan of violence but "corkers" should be arrested.
- yummyfajitas 15y ago
  If that's the case, how come the cops find the need to lie about critical mass activities on a regular basis? Shouldn't the video tapes recorded by critical mass participants be evidence enough of their guilt? It's quite strange how these "thugs" make every attempt to record themselves when they "break laws" and the cops try to stop them from recording. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aT9p36fgHU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aT9p36fgHU I wonder - would the police also attempt to prevent the mafia from wiretapping their own phones?
palish 15y ago
Just curious, how did you get a videotape? I wish I had an "Oh boy, here comes a police officer" button, which records the entire event. But obviously there is no such device. I'm terrified at the idea of pulling out a cameraphone during any police interaction, due to the possibility of being prosecuted / imprisoned for violating their expectation of privacy. I'm relatively poor, and no one really cares what happens to me, so I wouldn't be able to fight the courts.
- yummyfajitas 15y ago
  Another participant recorded the incident with a handlebar cam. She gave me the recording and offered me advice on how to fight the charges.
  - palish 15y ago
    (Different topic, out of curiosity.) Why bother protesting anything at all? I mean, we're both smart people. Surely we agree that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aT9p36fgHU#t=3m35s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aT9p36fgHU#t=3m35s indicates the police can do whatever they want, and nobody really cares except the victim. And there's really nothing to do about it, or any way to change it. Nobody cares about protests except the protesters. I wish it weren't that way, but, given that things are that way, then why bother fighting?