Several people were arrested and the streets filled with trashcans and
barricades. A few hundred people gathered at Columbus Circle today in NYC
to protest the bombing. The Youth Bloc, No Blood for Oil, NYC Radical
Cheerleaders and several affinity groups of various anarchist type people
and others gathered SEPARATE from the large rally (of thousands that
ended up PENNED IN, LIKE ALWAYs) one bloc from Times Square. This break
away march was led by a supported banner (That saved us many times. You
should get one at your rally, hard cardboard, tubes or PVC piping in the
front and sides and a banner made of tarp hanging from it, make it
flexible with joints.). We took the street just as we came into Times
Square. We eventually were forced off of the street again as police tried
to target individuals after a long push and shove conflict. We passed the
MTV building and all the other attractions, freaking out the VJs and the
workers inside (I believe it was filmed by MTV at this point) the police
looked like jack asses as they shoved and hit people outside all of the
live media institutions. Some people recieved band injuries from batons.
Outside the Nasdaq building where live "Wall Street" filming
was happening we pounded on the glass, causing them to freak out as the
pounding was continuously aired on live TV.
The police used batons on several occasions, one woman was knocked
unconsious. Later the police used pepper spray on a whole row of people
and eventually forced people off a side street. This was their first big
mistake. Everyone started running and dancing in the street, throwing
every newsstand and metal trash can available, stopping all traffic and
leaving the police in the dust. The police tried to jog and keep up, but
at this point no one was nabbed and trashcans and other large debris were
strewed down several blocs. We took the streets for blocks and blocks,
having a good time.
We turned off then and back into Times Square, running and dancing the
whole way. We took the streets again for a while, up more blocks. Making
the police look like fools. In Times Square police caught up and mounted
police officers as well. Several people here were arrested and beaten as
we were all finally forced off the street. Some of us joined the cold,
wet, bored, penned in people (Several thousand) on the other side of
Times Square. They were listening to endless speeches as the Youth Bloc
and others were taking the streets, making fools of the police and
eventually some were beaten and arrested. There was no direct contact
with the thousands of people only one or two blocks away as the leaders
of the communist organizations quitted chants in the crowd of "Lets
March Now" saying "We'll March Soon". Hopefully this
Saturday people will not stand for being anywhere NEAR pens and police
barricades and endless speeches and will take the streets like some of us
did. Hopefully the communist organizers and authoritarian leaders and the
police will be ignored and WE WILL TAKE THE STREETS! If those thousands
had done the same thing that the breakaway march did it would have made
international news and gone down in history! There is a WAR on! People
are dying RIGHT NOW! This is a time for ACTION! As Americans we MUST put
ourselves ON THE LINE for people who have no choice in the matter, these
people are dying in OUR NAME!
TAKE THE CITY BACK MARCH 22nd! Meet the Anarchist Anti-Authoritarian
Breakaway March at 39th street btw Broadway/6th Ave, we will be marching
with the kick ass Youth/Students march.
~~~~NYC has a LONG history of targeting people for wearing black
clothing. Today most all of us didn't have black clothing and it was
amazingly militant. You can still do EVERYTHING a militant person does,
but black clothing doesn't help. It is much more effective to wear really
"Normal" clothing and have extra changes of clothing as well.
(Of course bring many beautiful black flags and banners, and wear masks)
It is really effective to not wear black clothing, other people who have
never done militant actions but want to and are enraged by this war will
feel more comfortable joining in and we can all be chummier. Of course
people should wear whatever makes them happy.~~~~~
Other Groups meeting: 11:30a Assemble Broadway btw 36th/42nd St:
* 36th btw Broadway/6th Ave --> Kids contingent * 37th btw
Broadway/6th Ave --> Religious groups * Broadway between 40th and 41st
streets(in the middle.)--> The other call out for an Anarchist
Breakaway March * 38th btw Broadway/6th Ave --> Not In Our Name * 39th
btw Broadway/6th Ave --> Youth/Students and Anarchist
Anti-Authoritarian Breakaway March * 40th btw Broadway/6th Ave -->
Greens * 41st btw Broadway/6th Ave -- Carnival Bloc (inc. Funeral Bloc) *
37th btw 7th Ave/Broadway --> Labor * 38th btw 7th Ave/Broadway -->
People of Color Groups * 39th btw 7th Ave/Broadway --> Students/Youth
* 40th btw 7th Ave/Broadway --> ANSWER * 41st btw 7th Ave/Broadway
--> THAW--Theatre Against the War * [NOON Bike Block meets at Union Sq
South Steps -- Times Up!] LEGAL NUMBERS 212 679-6018 or 917 807-0658
carry photo id United for Peace and Justice
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/nyc
646-473-8935
