February 15, 2003

Whatever you might have seen on the media about the demonstration in New York, I can tell you first hand it was a sad day for New York.

We headed east on 44th st, marching in the street but I felt the billy club in my back as the police formed a V and forced people to the sidewalk.

We joined a crown of thousands of people at 44th St. marching up 3rd Avenue attempting to get to the the United Nations at 49th and 1st avenue only to be stopped at every cross street by police and barricades. There were homeade banners and signs everywhere among this diverse, middle class crowd.

After a few blocks the people were shoulder to shoulder crammed in wanting to turn right towards the demonstration.  Several demonstrators climbed atop a mail truck with a large banner that read, "BUSH BLOWS!". The police physically dragged them off the mail truck and stormed the mail truck as I yelled "DONUTS INSIDE THE MAIL TRUCK!".  The rastafarian mail truck driver made his first appearance from inside and as the cops exited, gave them the finger.

At 49th st the cops guarding the barricades told us to cross at 55th st. At 5oth st., the cops told us to cross at 66th st. At 51st they told us 80th st and the crowd lost patience and chanted and screamed, "LET US THROUGH!".  I witnessed a young woman maced and in tears.  All hell broke loose as the cops tried to capture someone who had breeched the barricade. I stepped in front of several pursuing cops and slowed them down but I was swept to the scene of 6 cops on 1 man on the ground with 3 others surrounding the scene. One cop with a broad grin stood full force on the legs of the man as people moved in and screamed, "LET HIM GO!". I was pushed by a cop and told him not to push me. Others were screaming, "LET HIM GO!" and converged on the encircled cops. I moved in closer telling them repeatedly that I was his attorney only to be pushed again by a young cop who said, "Don't Fuck With Me, Guy!" and I said, "or what?" and he said nothing.

Several other people in the crowd jostled the cops who had the man on the ground and the cops panicked. They dragged the man feet first down the long concrete stairs at the subway entrance there as people screamed "Shame on You!".  He was hurt. Carolyn was screaming, "Let Him Walk!".

People became more and more angry and frustrated and the cops resorted to macing several people at the barricade and 20 or so mounted cops appeared on 53rd from the east. But somehow, several at the barricade grabbed hold of a barricade and passed it back through the crown away from the front. People could then pass down the street towards 2nd Avenue. 

At 2nd Avenue vehicular traffic was still heading south despite the thousands of people filling the sidewalks and spilling out into the street. Empty busses, garbage trucks and con ed trucks were driving down the street. Cops were pushing people onto the sidewalks where there was no room. At each cross street again, there were pitched standoffs with people wanting to get to the demonstration. 

Where we stopped at 51st and 2nd was 1 block from the main stage of the demonstration. People were stopped again and not permitted to go east on 51st st, not even residents or business owners and workers. A cop behind me worked feverishly to prevent people from heading down the street; he apologized, explained and let the occasional person pass who had a good story. But meanwhile, there was a large concentration of people at the south east corner between a newstand and restaurant there. Mounted police arrived and attempted to disperse the crowd and force them onto the sidewalks.

A cop called for a mounted cop to disperse the group by the newstand and the rider forced the horse to charge into the crowd with front legs raised and kicking. Suddenly, there were horses everywhere, spinning and kicking. Fists started flying between cops and demonstrators at the same time. I was narrowly missed by a horse slipping and falling to the ground, dumping the cop on top.  The cop hit the ground hard and appeared to fall unconscious but I later learned he got up and seemed okay. I don't know what happened to the horse. A cop was screaming, "they're like fucking animals!"

I saw them take a tall man off with a bloody nose in handcuffs.

I shouted at them to call in for 'better orders'. I yelled at them that this was a dangerous situation and they needed better instructions since there was no reason to prevent people from walking toward the demonstration. The cops were scared and panicky. 

The cop I observed earlier, trying to work with the crowd, created a small opening 'accidently' and people began to disperse eastbound on 51st calming the situation. 

Once we arrived at the main stage at 51st and 1st, the cops were still trying to force people onto the sidewalks but shortly they gave up. The loud onstage socialist littany quieted the crowd and no further incident occurred. 

We left shortly thereafter, walking down 2nd avenue.  We passed a group of cops, yucking it up and I called on them to quit their laughing.  The young black cop came up in my face and asked me what my problem was and I told her she should be ashamed of what happened today.  She asked what I was talking about and I told her.  She made some remarks to me as another cop stepped between us. She told me to go home and I told her I was home. 

All the way south, eastbound cross streets were closed as cops demanded identification from residents attempting to go home. 

I have never seen a more disgraceful police operation in New York in all the years I've lived here. The potential for terror and disaster was there, entirely created by poor police action. 

I have also never seen more cops in my life. They were everywhere.  They estimated the crowd at 250,000 but I can say there were at least 50,000 on 3rd avenue from 44th to 53rd.  People were wall to wall except for 1 block which the cops had quardened off.

It is more clear to me than ever that the United States is over policed and over militaried. It can't lead anywhere good.