In a message dated 8/28/2004 10:03:57 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
New York Police Arrest Nearly 250 in Bicycle Protest
Demonstrators
Converge on City for Republican Convention
By MADISON J. GRAY,
AP
You got up early to post this? You get off on other people's civil
disobedience? You gave us this AP pabulum instead of the rich mental red meat of
the New York Times much more comprehensive article?
NEW YORK (Aug. 28) -- In the first major clash between
police and demonstrators converging for the Republican National Convention,
nearly 250 bicyclists were arrested during a protest ride that snaked through
the city and passed by Madison Square Garden.
Bikers chanted anti-Bush slogans, stifled traffic and, in some
places, argued with motorists during the Friday night ride, which began at
Union Square and drew thousands of cyclists.
Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Browne said the bikers had caused
''massive disruptions'' and endangered motorists. Participants said their ride
was peaceful and that the arrests were an excessive show of
force.
They were asked to stay in a double column and remain in the bike lanes.
Apparently such discipline was beyond their mental or physical capacities. The
punishment should reflect the significance of the crime. Impound their bikes and
lift their drivers licenses on the spot. Make them pay taxi fare to get back
home.
Police had passed out leaflets to the riders warning them not to ride
more than two abreast, and many of them ignored that warning, Browne said.
Among the roughly 250 protesters arrested was one who allegedly threw a beer
can at an officer, he said. The officer was uninjured.
A peace offering? Cops can't drink while on duty. Bicyclists should
not drink and drive either; remember, impairment starts with the first
drink! Throwing a full can is wasteful and empty cans are aerodynamically
unstable. In either case its littering; fine him to the max.
''We gave them every opportunity to comply with the law,'' Browne said.
''Those who didn't were arrested.''
The protest began as a monthly Critical Mass bike ride,
but what was usually a crowd of hundreds swelled to thousands, with organizers
saying the excursion drew a horde of bikers who wanted to protest the
convention.
Bill Dobbs, of the antiwar group United for Peace and Justice, said the
monthly Critical Mass ride ''has provided joy to bicyclists and bystanders for
years now.''
Joy? Wish all mentally challenged were so easily amused.
''The arrests are completely unnecessary,'' Dobbs said. ''Police
needlessly escalated tension. Let us hope that they are more restrained as we
go into the convention period.''
Riding a bike is a privilege not a right; until some left-wing activist
Ninth District Federal Court Judge tries to reinterpret our Constitution.
While the Friday night event was the largest so far, it followed a day of
demonstrations.
Earlier in the day, hundreds of moms with small children, plus some dads,
pushed strollers across the Brooklyn Bridge in another protest against
President Bush.
Child exploitation, kids as props.
''Bush is taking away our children's future. Money for pre-emptive war
takes away money from child care,'' said Malissa Smith as she joined the
demonstration by Mothers Opposing Bush.
Another selfish me firster. Doesn't care who else's kids are dying as long
as its not hers. Obviously no concept of Judeo-Christian values and the concept
of sacrifice. "Mal" in her first name is so appropriate.
The group - called MOB- was led by a pair of 4-year-olds with their
''Kids for Kerry'' banner.
They finally found someone who has not heard about Viet Nam and thinks
heroes are the cartoon characters on Saturday morning TV. Now if they can only
get kids franchised. How about absentee ballots?
''He's the president - but not right now,'' said Tiber Worth, holding one
end while his classmate Isabella Stevenson clutched the other as they headed
across the bridge.
Police had reported a total of 22 arrests in convention-related protests
before Friday evening's bicycle procession, including five people trying to
stage a demonstration in Union Square using sound equipment without a permit.
In a separate incident, a protester was arrested for disorderly conduct in an
anti-Bush group walking from Columbus Circle to Union Square, police
said.
On Thursday, 11 AIDS activists were in police custody after shedding
their clothes and demanding that Bush help HIV-positive people in poor nations
around the world.
Hopefully, they were let go and directed to off off Broadway. Is there any
country in the world that spends more total dollars on world wide AIDS
prevention and treatment than the USA?
Four other young protesters said Friday that they face a grand jury
hearing for unfurling a huge anti-Bush banner from the roof of The Plaza hotel
on Fifth Avenue a day earlier. The sign had the word ''truth'' on an arrow
pointing north toward Central Park and another arrow with ''Bush'' pointing
south toward the Garden.
Let them go they put on a great NYC show. Let the city and The Plaza sue
them civilly to recover hard costs.
Police said an officer needed 38 stitches for a leg wound he suffered at
the scene. A fifth person was arrested for passing out fliers on their
behalf.
08-28-04 0627EDT
Now if this is what they did to a leg attached to a living human being,
imagine what 250,000 to 500,000 of them will do to living green things in
Central Park. In your previous post, Rosso, you did not mention the rallyers'
failure to post sufficient bond. A million dollars would probably fund an
adequate reforestation and sodding effort. If you break, it you fix it.
Oh, and a lot of the morons were wearing "JK" tee shirts. Nothing like
attracting positive attention to the Democratic Party. Who says there's not a
science to counter programming? This would have played real well across middle
America. At least the whole world was not watching.
Right On bro,
Craig
