26 Comments
In case you hadn’t heard, PrezBush made a surprise visit to a charter school in Harlem today, and Bwog biked up to 144th and Adam Clayton to see what kind of welcome residents and activists had in store for him. Despite the massive security, which included snipers on every building, streets completely blocked off within a three-block radius, cadres of NYPD on every corner, dozens of motorcycles, secret service hiding in dump trucks, and metal fences lining every street, a sizable number of dissidents managed to show up and locals congregated to express their opinions and see why their neighborhood was shut down for the day.
The most striking part about the event was the effectiveness of the metal fences, copious police presence, and constantly changing rules for where one could walk. Any chance of picketing for more than a couple of minutes was precluded by the sheer overwhelming power of the NYPD and their vehicles. Nevertheless, residents shouted “GO HOME! WE DON’T WANT YOU HERE!” to Bush’s motorcade, while a band of about 30 picketers, largely Columbia students, led chants of “Bush out of Harlem, US out of Iraq!” and other anti-war slogans, as they were followed by a few dozen police on the sidewalk and a rolling van of at least eleven officers. Said one Columbia protester, “This is a traveling ‘free speech zone,'” mocking the fact that they couldn’t remain stationary. Others were more confrontational, yelling at the NYPD, “These are our rights being violated!” The NYPD circled the group but they stayed silent.
– KER
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26 Comments
@StrawHat No, it’s not petty to protest the president but I mean, “Bush out of Harlem, US out of Iraq”? Do I need to say any more? Taking Bush taking a trip to Harlem that has to do with education, and saying he should get out because of disagreement over the Iraq war does seem a tad petty, yes.
@he was here to hype up No Child Left Behind.
It’s petty to protest the President?
@StrawHat Wow, man just can’t catch a break. One doesn’t necessarily have to be for the war to see how petty this is. He was here about a school…
@whenever there are a lot of NYPD cops around i like to put on my black suit and run around waving a wallet.
@Bubba I’m just surprised that Bush dared to enter Bubba’s hood. 125th St. is 100% Slick Willy territory, never mind the activistos.
@a-pow what a beautiful day for a bike ride!
@agreed But I got stuck in the Central Park mess on my bike too! (hi alison!)
@shira I am dying to go on a bike ride with a-pow.
@hmmmm “Bush out of Harlem, US out of Iraq!”
one of those two is easier than the other
@Boethius they say you can take the thug out the hood, but you cant take the hood out the thug.
@grrrrr Prezbush’s appearance today prevented me from going on my favorite running route through Central. dammit Bush!
@first, this protest had nothing to do with changing Bush’s mind. It was about connection issues – war, occupation, poverty, racism – and building a movement. Realistic solutions? Lame duck? The only way to make politicians do shit is to force them, and unfortunately most Americans are short on the most persuasive form of influence: cold hard cash.
Second. People talk a free speech at Columbia, I think what we saw in Harlem today was the systematic repression of a neighborhoods right to protest. Would three blocks have been cordoned off if this was in some ritzy conservative neighborhood? Not a chance. It was the type of speech, and the content of our message that was being repressed by the barricades and absolutely insane numbers of NYPD, and it was a recognition that in Harlem the general sentiment was, “fuck off Bush,” a sentiment which the police did their best to hide, deny, and restrain.
@disagree When Bush came to speak at my undergraduate university in Louisiana – a state that went overwhelmingly for Bush, there was a ton of security and protest disruption. This was not in a poor black town.
Also, let’s not all talk as if the police is a strong arm of the Republican party. Do you know any officers? I know several, and they are all vehemently anti-Bush. They do what they do not out of a fondness of the man, but because there is a general risk that anti-Bush protests may turn violent.
@how stupid can people be:
“Would three blocks have been cordoned off if this was in some ritzy conservative neighborhood? Not a chance.”
Try:
Midtown Manhattan + 2004 + RNC
3 blocks in Manhattan for the President – oh yeah, huge deal
@pragmatist Second srsly’s point. But, for all of you constitutional scholars who are posting on this blog, “the right to peaceably assemble” is an enumerated right within the first amendment of the Constitution. The freedom to associate (to gather with likeminded people [clubs]) is an implied right which has very little to do with this debate. Let’s check our pocket Constitutions before we post.
@wait secret service hiding in dump trucks? huh?
@yeah freedom of assembly means you can get together with likeminded people and voice your opinions – political groups, Elks Club, etc.
It does NOT mean that you can assemble where ever you choose (the middle of the street, infront of the President’s limo).
Important difference
@okay in that case, let’s find an excuse to render every bit and piece of the US legally unsuitable for assembly (how hard could it be if sidewalks for blocks and blocks can be cordoned off like this?). justifiable way to decimate freedom of association?
the point is that at some stage there has to be a boundary between the legitimate concern that freedom of association isn’t applicable anywhere and that it has to be applicable somewhere- and that somewhere ought to be somewhat relevant.
@srsly take a chill pill and take bollingers class. con law is far more nuanced than the extremes and absolutes you’ve just hpothesized to.
@Anonymous some people on this campus will protest for the dumbest things. if people spent as much time protesting as they did working towards realistic solutions, things would be a lot different right now. No, instead we prefer to protest in hopes that the president will capitulate. Has that ever happened? No. Will it ever happen? No. So let’s relax, leave Bush alone, and focus on the future. He’s a lame duck anyway.
@hey it’s working for france!
they’re light years ahead of us in nuclear technology (and disposal) and public officials actually respond to public opinion.
now only if they can start winning wars…oh shit, we can’t either.
@DHI Yo, civil rights kind of blow in France, so I don’t know what you’re all on its dick for.
@ugh the police do what they want, knowing the courts will only rule against them months down the road, with little consequence.
has modern society outgrown tocqueville’s “aristocracy of lawyers” who were supposed to look after our rights?
@Pfft The right to assembly has been dead for years
@Well Uh, freedom of assembly is really just freedom of association. Police have always had the right (and obligation) to disperse crowds and control protests.
@see the you have to keep moving and can’t protest on a sidewalk is dubious and likely unconstitutional claim.