Update [2005-9-20 21:37:33 by susanhu]: Crooks & Liars now has the video of Cindy Sheehan being escorted by the NYPD! Great find by C&L.
As C&L writes: “Wherever you fall on the Cindy Sheehan meter, it’s odd to see her being escorted out for a fairly tame demonstration. I know they didn’t have the permits, but couldn’t they just have pulled the power? Living in New York for many years, I saw a lot worse offenses and demonstrations left alone.” Really.
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[From the diaries by susanhu.]
I am seething with anger. So much that I am still trembling and having trouble formulating a basic sentence.
Just back from Camp Casey, New York which is at Union Square. Took an extended lunch break, as I had seen that Cindy Sheehan would make a speech there this afternoon at 2pm. A nice little crowd, Cindy was delayed – but there were plenty of people with issues on their minds in the mean time.
Then comes Cindy and within two minutes the police interrupts. They had been in the background all along, but made their move only after Cindy started her speech. It was difficult to see all the details of what went on. Here is my summary based on what I saw and also discussed with others – including organizers – immediately after.
The police unplugged the PA-system. The organizers of CC, New York (mainly Green Party folks, as far as I could see) replugged it and made a small human chain (3-4 people) to prevent police from reaching the PA again. They were immediately detained and the crown started to boo and shout. Not so much in anger, initially – I think most of us were in total disbelief. As reality sunk in, the crowd became more vocal.
I did not see what happened to Cindy, but heard that she was escorted away from the microphone by the police, but not arrested. Many in the crowd let the police hear it, and several of them looked uncomfortable with their role. I counted some 20 uniformed police. “Police state”, “Where’s the First Amendment”, “Burn the Constitution” etc. – I may have been screaming some myself.
Anyway, I also heard one of the organizers mention that nothing like this has happened so far during their tour (I believe she said that they had been to 21 states and 51 cities/towns without such incidents). So here comes Cindy to New York City, the liberal bastion of the country and our Republican mayor sets the police on them.
We saw it last year during the RNC and here we go again. How can any properly thinking Democrat even consider voting for this guy in November?
Sorry for the rambling quality of the post, but this story must get out there. Now! I’ll try to keep my eyes open for media coverage and share here.
This tells me that she can make a difference. They are no longer ignoring her. They are no longer laughing at her. They are fighting her. And, if you believe in the old saying, she is on the verge of winning.
Complete bullshit that she is not allowed to address her gathering. We have no public space to redress our grievances with our government. Guess she wasn’t in a Free Speech zone.
This makes me wonder if they will let us protest on the 24th, or if Cindy, and we collectively will be silenced.
I don’t know Joe. I hope you are wrong, though I realize you may be correct.
This was in New York, for heavens sake!
I hope the citizens of Gotham keep this in mind come November, but the attention span is short.
Choose, New York.
Hint: Everyone with money has a second home.
Take it easy. This kind of stuff is inevitable. And necessary if she’s to get the whole issue promo thing going.
Welcome to non-violent resistence and its tactics and need for publicity for it to work. Anything using electronic amplification will require a permit. Yeah, I know, it was only a teeny-weensy bullhorn.
Frankly, this ain’t nothin’ compared to the Civil Rights struggle. If this has you all a-tremble you’ve lived a very sheltered life. Is the bail fund and legal defense fund in place? How many times was Martin or Ghandi in the slam?
Was it Cesar Chavez?
Or maybe it was Dorothy Day.
Some say Dr. King or Ghandi
Set them on their way.
No matter who your mentors are
It’s very plain to see
If you’ve been to jail for justice
You’re in good company.
Have you been to jail for justice?
I want to shake your hand.
For sitting in and lying down
Are ways to take a stand.
Have you sung a song for freedom?
Or marched that picket line?
If you’ve been to jail for justice
Well you’re a friend of mine.
Recorded by my favorite activist singer Anne Feeney
It was incredible, I had a hard time believing what I saw. “Land of the free’-my ass; this was a very peaceful gathering – of all places in NYC’s Union Square where protests have rung out through the decades. Words fail me right now.
someone has a diary up at Dkos already too that was there. According to diarist’s account Cindy had been speaking about ten minutes and someone came up from behind her and yanked her hard from the straps on a backpack. did you witness this? Did you see any media filming? If so, who and let’s contact them right away for the footage. Crooks&Liars been notified? They always get their hands on footage fast.
Hate to say this but it was only a matter of time. They are going to try and stop her before she gets to DC. My friends, if you are going there please be careful, have bail money and a cellphone and contacts at the very least.So much for free speech!
She had probably spoken less than 2 minutes, hadn’t really gotten started. I did not see the yanking. There were several video cameras running, but I saw no big-time media. One person who I stood close to initially was filming for NYU, the others seemed to be part of the groups involved. Saw several photographers (still) with press credentials, so that bit should be well covered.
Totally different story over at Dkos. Diarist also stated that the crowd started booing and calling the cops nazis?
I did not hear the nazi-word, but there was the occasional ‘fascist police’ and ‘police state’.
But recently those phrases have been showing up scrawled on a number of posters in the NYC subways for Police Dep’t recruiting. In fact, on my way to work this morning (i.e., well before Cindy Sheehan’s appearance at Union Square), I saw one poster that had both “Prepare for the coming police state” and “Fascist thugs” on it, in different handwriting and types of ink. I’m guessing that this is generally in response to the bag-search policy from late July. Tensions are definitely on the increase.
Five of Diamonds said Cindy had been there 10 minutes, but had only been speaking for about 5. Which seems pretty much in line with ask’s account.
Here’s a link to indymedia.
on the scene reporting.
Great job Ask! Just for the record I was NOT questioning your account what so ever. I was really a little miffed over the headline of Cindy’s “arrest” that was in the diarist’s title which has been removed and it was Cindy’s people that yanked her away and whisked her off.
No worries, Aloha. As you can imagine, it was quite chaotic. What I simply cannot understand is why the police chose to move in after she started her speech.
Her group was delayed. It was hot in the sun, so around 2.35 I strolled over to a kiosk (on the park-side where 15th meets Park Ave South for those who know the location) for some water. Approximately 20 uniformed police w/scooters were lined up just south of the kiosk, they had already been there a while (I did not notice them arriving, they may have been there all along.
If there was a problem with the permit to use a PA-system, why did they not move in immediately when it was turned on (around 2.05). Numerous people were giving brief speeches while we were all waiting for Cindy. Only after she started did they come, maybe 2-3 minutes into her speech.
Comments in the kos-tread suggests that there was a NYT-reporter there with a recorder. Other print media as well. Looking forward to finding their coverage.
Oh I am sure if there is anything from the MSM it will be less than 10 seconds of coverage.
A story posted earlier today on the Times’ website, “With Star Status, Anti-War Mother Makes Case in New York”, is currently the second listed New York Region article behind a story on Fernando Ferrer. This article, however, was clearly written before the Union Square scuffle.
However, the Union Square event was reported by Reuters and is fairly likely to turn up in stories appearing later tonight and tomorrow about Sheehan’s appearance at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, which is getting reasonably significant coverage by not only the Times, but also Newsday and the Daily News.
Heh, just checked back on the indy media site.
Yours truly is in this image:
Far left, above the police officer in white shirt, under the light post, white shirt.
Well hi there ask..sure looks like crazed and dangerous crowd there alright, what’s next, rounding up 5th graders cause there’s 6 of them congregating on a street corner?
ASK! That’s so great you are in the photo.
That’s a nice video that Crooks and Liars found.
Another site has great video:
INN World Report — click on the Monday show video. The section showing Cindy is towards the end of the 1/2-hour show. (That’s a good daily news report, btw. I watch it on Free Speech TV.)
OMFG!
few years back Cheney was in Portland OR and they had a area out in a field away from the airport where it was the “Free Speech ZONE!” no shit, the free speech zone… that says it all.
this is not American, folks. We need to fight and get “her” back.
janet…you just be careful in DC and you have my phone# if you get into trouble.
I’ll be careful 🙂 My little/Big lbrother… is showing up just to keep me in line. ACK! 🙂
I think he and my husband have been doing some talking together while I’ve been out and about. LOL
Am taking you with me, you do know that right? 🙂
Hey, you better be taking me with you, ya got the sirt off my back…LOL!!!!!I want you to try and think of me at 5pm there cause that is when I will be taking to the streets here. WE SHALL OVERCOME!!!!
I have alist with hme and cell phone numbers for quite a few of us, Leezy. Just in case we need bail money…
Call me for bail money- Jane has my #. Seriously.
oops Janet- and my last 4 digits are–3915 rather thanwhatever goofhead mistake hub made in my address book- but Janet prolly has me on caller ID now
She’s supposed to appear at St. John the Divine tonight, so could somebody in the city report back from that event?
Miholo’s liveblogging by Treo from the church event- see comment thread here at dkos.
.
Please RECOMMEND this news story ::
By Christopher Michaud
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Peace activist Cindy Sheehan brought her “Bring Them Home Now Tour” to a Brooklyn church on Sunday, where she was greeted by hundreds of cheering supporters.
Sheehan was accompanied by a dozen veterans and family members of active-duty or killed-in-action soldiers who oppose the war in Iraq and are calling for withdrawal of U.S. troops.
“These people,” she said of those who are touring the country with her, “are true American patriots” who “paid the most terrible price,” in contrast to “the maniacs who run our country right now.”
[…]
Sheehan had tough words for the military, the Bush administration and even Democratic liberals such as a Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, whom she said voters should reject if she fails to toughen her stance against the war.
“We have to stop making war profitable,” she said.
Cindy Sheehan recognizes fellow military mom Anne Roesler (R) of Saratoga, Ca., after they made a visit to the offices of Sen. Dianne Feinstein in San Francisco, Friday, Sept. 9, 2005. Sheehan is trying to bring attention to her belief that the war in Iraq is sucking away resources, that could be better used in the hurricane ravaged Gulf Coast. She plans to visit Los Angeles later in the day. Roesler's son is in the 82nd Airborne and on his third tour of duty in Iraq. AP Photo/Eric RisbergYahoo news search
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Thanks for filling us in, ask. Like others have already said, I guess they’re starting to be afraid of Cindy’s truth-telling ways.
I hope this isn’t just a taste of what they intend for Saturday in DC…
Yeah but we know you Cabingirl and all the rest of the SHEDEVILS aren’t going to let the bullies stop you!
This was just posted on the Village Voice site:
NYPD Unplugs Cindy Sheehan
City’s Finest pulls move even Bush wouldn’t have tried
by Sarah Ferguson
September 19th, 2005 5:54 PM
Cindy Sheehan may be the Rosa Parks of the antiwar movement. But that didn’t stop members of the New York Police Department from marching into the crowd of about 150 people gathered in Union Square Monday to hear her speak and yanking away the microphone.
The NYPD pulled the plug just as Sheehan was calling on the crowd not to lose heart in the fight to end the war in Iraq.
“We get up every morning, and every morning we see this enormous mountain in front of us,” said Sheehan, speaking on behalf of the other parents and family members of fallen soldiers who have taken up the crusade to bring the troops home.
“We can’t go through it, we can’t go under it, so we have to go over it,” she continued, just as the cops rushed the makeshift podium.
Police dragged away Paul Zulkowitz, a.k.a. Zool, an organizer with “Camp Casey New York,” the small encampment that he and other activists helped set up a month ago in Union Square in solidarity with Sheehan’s vigil outside President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas. The New York branch existed much to the ire of the city’s Parks Department. Today, Zulkowitz was arrested for failing to obtain a sound permit–a charge that normally warrants no more than a summons . . .
Thank you for the VV-link. Very accurately reported as far as I can see. Only one minor correction:
Zool said this in his very first speech at around 2.05-2.10. The police attack was 2.45, or possibly a few minutes later. So it was not a spontanous reaction from police because of a “provocation”. They were hanging out – like all of us – waiting for the delayed Cindy. And then they struck…
I wonder who is really behind this stupid order, ’cause there was no particular reason to move when they did – other than Cindy on the stage.
Armed with amazing citizen-control capabilities, none of which have been squandered on national security, the Republicans are looking to refine their protest-flushing capabilities so well displayed in New York.
According to Daily Kos, she was not arrested. She was merely “shut up.” He rally organizer was arrested,
faces oppressive reactions and threats of arrest. Remember Martin Luther King? She is making a huge difference, which is why they targeted her. She, and everyone involved, needs to continue what they are doing. When you start pissing off the powers that be, you are getting beyond the outer layer of their defenses.
Here’s
NYT’s coverage.
The hard-copy version of the Times has this running over five columns in the Metro Section, with larger photos than the one appearing online.
An Associated Press story on the incident appears on MSNBC and Newsday. Seemingly balanced coverage was also provided by two conservative outlets, the New York Sun and the New York Post.
Hi my friend,
I saw the Newsday coverage which was OK, but was disappointed to see that the amNY version of events had omitted the police/arrest ‘detail’.
So what’s the deal? I read somewhere or other earlier, that it was applied for, but neither granted nor denied. Is this correct? If so, the City’s got problems.
Scalia writing for a unanimous court, in THOMAS et al. v. CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT Decided Jan. 15, 2002
How can a Court review a non-approval, non-denial?
(We lost the Thomas case, where I was a scheduled speaker, but this can be salvaged)
20 years ago, last I applied for an amplification permit in New York, if a permit was not explicitly denied, it was deemed constructively granted, and this was explicit in the NYC amplification ordinance. Still the case?
Then NYC and the rest of the country is in a whole lot worse shape than I think it is in.