Mr. Bloomberg said the city had planned to reopen the park on Tuesday morning after the protesters’ tents and tarps had been removed and the stone steps had been cleaned. He said the police had already let about 50 protesters back in when officials received word of a temporary restraining order sought by lawyers for the protesters. He said the police had closed the park again until lawyers for the city could appear at a court hearing later in the morning.It's a legal matter, baby, a legal matter from now on.
Bloomberg's point is that the occupiers prevent other people from using the park. They're hogging the whole park. I sympathize with that position, having seen how the Wisconsin protesters last winter occupied the Capitol rotunda in a way that kept other people out. Now, the rotunda is a prime attraction in Wisconsin. Visitors to Madison continually wander into the space and, on normal days, gaze up into the dome. Children typically lie on the marble floor for the purpose of staring contemplatively upward.
Zuccotti Park, on the other hand — who'd even heard of it before? In fact, it's the Occupy Wall Street protesters who've made it famous, and if it's a tourist attraction, it's because of the OWS branding. And yet New York City parks are not mostly about attracting tourists. The people who live and work near a park are the ones with the most interest in access.
And now that the protesters have lawyered up and gone to court in an attempt to nail down legal rights to occupy the space, it changes the character of the interaction with the mayor, and it's quite understandable that he would take a hardcore stance in response.
ADDED: The description of the battle against the police is tucked further down in the linked NYT article. Snippets:
The protesters rallied around an area known as the kitchen, near the middle of the park, and began putting up makeshift barricades with tables and pieces of scrap wood....It's turning into "Les Miserables"... Now we pledge ourselves to hold this barricade/Let them come in their legions/And they will be met/Have faith in yourselves/And don't be afraid/Let's give 'em a screwing/That they'll never forget!
[As the police entered the park], dozens of protesters linked arms and shouted “No retreat, no surrender,” “This is our home” and “Barricade!”
ADDED: A reader emails:
I just finished playing a high school production of Les Miserables... and I was informed that the director of the musical (an alumnus of the high school) had specifically used Zuccotti Park and the OWS movement as a rallying point for the show. He was basically telling the kids that the OWS struggle, and the struggle leading up to the June Uprising, were one and the same.
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They have 1/2 mil. Time to file permits, etc. But if no one is the head, who approves & signs the checks?
If it could have only lasted until November 2012......what a pity.
"Among those arrested was City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, a Democrat who represents northern Manhattan. He was with a group near the intersection of Broadway and Vesey Street that was attempting to link up with protesters at Zuccotti Park. The group tried to push through a line of officers trying to prevent people from reaching the park. Mr. Rodriquez was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest."
One does not need to play "six degrees of separation" to see the linkage between these alienated losers and the Democrats cheering them on, as if the Democrats were not completely complicit in creating the very conditions these dirty dopes are mewling over.
The gushing in the media in general has been tamped down quite a bit. Possibly they've realized this is going to end badly, and not in a good way, with all the accompanying optics thereof.
I keep hearing that the park is technically private property. If that's the case, isn't this up to the owner, not the city (other than being up to the city to enforce the owners' demand for ouster)?
he's got them on the run
"Zuccotti Park, on the other hand — who'd even heard of it before. In fact, it's the Occupy Wall Street protesters who've made it famous, and if it's a tourist attraction, it's because of the OWS branding. And yet New York City parks are not mostly about attracting tourists."
Zuccotti Park is not a public park. It is private property.
"In building this plaza, there was an agreement it be open 24 hours a day," Kelly said. "The owners have put out regulations [about what's allowed in park]. The owners will have to come in and direct people not to do certain things." spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, the owner of the park, expressed concern: "Zuccotti Park is intended for the use and enjoyment of the general public for passive recreation. We are extremely concerned with the conditions that have been created by those currently occupying the park and are actively working with the City of New York to address these conditions and restore the park to its intended purpose."
I never heard of your rotunda before you covered the occupation. The occupiers made it famous. The people of Madison are the ones living near the capitol, no one else.
Same logic for lack of exposure.
"And yet New York City parks are not mostly about attracting tourists."
Neither is the capitol.
On the heels of the Veterans' Day weekend, it is difficult for me to feel anything but total contempt for these losers.
The contrast is as stark as can be.
Watch what happens when some of the anarcho-goofballs running OWS try to pull their BS in court. Can anyone spell C-o-n-t-e-m-p-t?
Zuccotti Fatigue.
When do they start cracking skulls??
I so look forward to NYC and all the other cities that allowed the Occupy [X] demonstrators to camp out without permits for over two months extending the same understanding and courtesy to every other group that feels the need to protest.
Two months of Tea Party? Check.
Two months of Right to Life? Check.
Two months of American Nazi Party? Check.
How can they say no?
All it takes is a couple of pissed-off loons and a tent. Right, NYC?
I was hoping for the cold to do it. Maybe it still can, since a judge issued a restraining order against the city.
Check out the website for the OWS General Assembly. It is instructive to see what is really going on. The whole thing at Zucotti Park is simply a recruiting effort that got out of hand.
www.owsgeneralassembly.org
Up twinkles!!!
I will no longer engage in these bourgeois discussions that distract me from the real struggle. Shouting Thomas is now occupied!
Anyone remember the Simpsons episode where Grandpa decided he wanted to die with assisted suicide? The worker asked him what sounds and images he wanted as they killed him and he opted for swing music and cops beating hippies.
I expect the judge will order the ows group to be allowed back in, and probably order the city to provide services to them. Adequate restroom facilities, Minimum nutrition requirements, and probably on-site medical staff. Of course all of this will be paid for by tax dollars from the corporations they are protesting.
So far there's no guillotine, which is probably an oversight.
What standing to the Occupiers have here? They're squatters.
My wife's take: the lefties embraced the Occupy movement when then thought they'd score some points. Once the polls made it clear that the Occupy movement was a boat anchor with voters, then it was "Sayanara, and don't let the door hit you on the butt on your way out."
Very intelligent woman, that wife of mine.
Armstrong and Getty point out every city's winning legal point is eventually violating of local barbecuing ordinances.
Gallup says that only 21% identify as liberal.
I am the 79%
The mayor waits an inordinate amount of time before taking action. Once he does, a judge orders the protestors be allowed back in. Sometime in the past few years, the number of loons in positions of authority became greater than the number of sensible people.
I am the 79%
I am the 1%. From a global perspective. Praise to the USA.
Meh. tl;dr.
I'm waiting for the David Mamet play: "Occupy!".
I wonder what the opening song will be.
Bloomberg wants to be president so bad he can taste it. He let these slugs stay as long as he thought they would be a positive for him.
They're not, so they're gone.
The Occupistas will now blend seamlessly into OFA.
interesting point madison man,
Actually 100% of the people living in the USA are the 1% in 3rd world countries around the world. I think it makes the OWS crowd a little selfish by comparison.
What gives them the right to live so much better than the truly poor in places like Bangladesh, and India ?
The losers lose.
The City will file a notice of appeal and get an immediate stay of the lower court ruling in the Appellate Division.
I'm waiting for the David Mamet play: "Occupy!"
More likely: a musical called Tent. I foresee a lot of drums in the pit.
100% of the people in the U.S. can't be the 1% of the world, 'cause the U.S.'s 300 million constitute a bit over 4% of the world's 7 billion people. Thus, we're the 4%!
Way too little, way too late. Bloomie should have put the hammer down the morning of 9/20.
Watch what happens to the political careers of the mayors of Portland, Oakland, Denver, and, of course, Gotham.
OTOH, the mayor of Atlanta should prosper.
Venckman's Law.
Big Mike said...
My wife's take: the lefties embraced the Occupy movement when then thought they'd score some points. Once the polls made it clear that the Occupy movement was a boat anchor with voters, then it was "Sayanara, and don't let the door hit you on the butt on your way out."
Agree up to the last part. The Demos and the unions are on record as supporting this, something that will be a big feature of political ads next year. As late as last week, GodZero was singing their praises and the unions were trumpeting their intent to join forces with the Occupation.
Whatever "Sayonara" there might have been was very faint and won't save the Left from being reminded of this.
I think that the NYC occupiers are being stupid here. They are going to lose long run in court, since they are trespassing and violating NYC ordinances. Finding an ACLU judge to stall this just gives the rest of us more time to see how infantile they are. It is likely getting to the point that if put on the ballot, a majority of the denzines of NYC are probably approaching the point where they would vote for the death penalty for these protesters. And that, after the infliction of some cruel and unusual punishment, such as drawing and quartering, tarring and feathering, the rack, etc.
I don't have a lot of sympathy though for the Mayor, city council, et al. From day 1, the protesters were in violation of numerous city ordinances, which they consciously decided not to enforce (but probably would have if the protesters had not been leftists supported by leftist organizations). The biggest messes and most violence across the country seem to have occurred in the cities where the protesters were given the most slack through selective non-enforcement of the relevant statutes and ordinances. (And, yes, Berkely is probably the most egregious here, with the mayor giving his non-public safety city employees a day off to joint the protest).
Back to my original point though - the Dems would do much better if they just let the relevant authorities (who are almost all Dems) shut down the protests ASAP. While originally they had some sort of message, maybe, the message they now are sending is that they would rather loaf and protest than work. This just makes the Tea Party message of personal responsibility that much more attractive for the bulk of Americans.
"This is our home."
How does someone else's property become yours? You either buy it or...or what? Steal it. The Left is a criminal enterprise and only a criminal enterprise.
I am the 0.0000000146%
There is some confusion about the legal proceedings affecting the Park. Under an agreement between the owner and the City (part of an agreemment by the owner to obtain approval to put up a bigger than allowed building on the adjoining lot), the owner agreed to keep the park open to the public 24/7. "Open to the public" does not include camping, setting up kitchens or squatting (in this or any other City park) as the OWS crowd had been doing.
The City's announcement that it was evicting the OWS squatters made it clear, even before litigation, that the City and the owner were going to clear the park and then allow anyone (including OWS guys) back in later today. What will not be allowed is any camping, kitchens, etc.
Given the City's position, the TRO really had little effect - it said that the City had to reopen the park, but the City was doing that anyway. The TRO, by its terms was effective only until the hearing this morning scheduled for 11:30, at which time it would expire automatically unless extended by the Court. The TRO also excluded any police action to remove anyone for criminal violations -- an exception that may well have swallowed the restriction, since camping in City parks is (at a minimum) a violation. (Shades of Three Felonies a Day here.)
One commenter suggested that the City would take an immediate appeal from the TRO. An appeal from an ex parte order is not allowed under NY state procedure -- only orders made after notice are subject to an appeal in state court. So there will be no appealable order until after this morning's hearing, and there may well be no need for any such order given the City's position. Here as elsewhere, there is less than meets the eye in this story.
Just what the Occupiers need: Occupy Portland domestic terrorists arrested with hand grenades
Not sure if they were caught with "hand grenades". They sound more like IEDs - fireworks inside mason jars, that when exploded would scatter glass shrapnel all over the place. Most likely highly illegal under federal law, and probably the sort of thing that the BATFE should be pursuing, instead of walking guns to gangs and terrorists.
What a f**king zoo
"Nobody who understands the history of justice or of the imagination (largely the same history) wants to be treated as a member of a category."
-- Wendell Berry
ow does someone else's property become yours? You either buy it or...or what?
"You can't own property, man."
"I can, but that's because I'm not a penniless hippie."
In Wisconsin da unions are going to Occupy The sidewalk in front of the Governor's home today. His private residence where his wife and two minor children live.
There are no rules anymore for the left.
MMFlint was on twitter last night trying to whip up a protest, encouraging people to hurry, show up, stand against the police, blahblah.
He started live streaming the "eviction".
That alone is enough reason to want to let them continue squatting.
(Throw up some barbed wire, and we have full containment.)
Which city will be the first to be sued by a citizen for their liability in not shutting the occupiers down when someone gets hurt or gets sick?
Who is responsible at Zucotti Park, if it's private property?
"lyssalovelyredhead said...
I keep hearing that the park is technically private property. If that's the case, isn't this up to the owner, not the city (other than being up to the city to enforce the owners' demand for ouster)?"
I'd guess that the owner simply doesn't want to get on their bad side. Such is the power of thuggery: It exerts a chilling effect on otherwise rational individuals.
Which city will be the first to be sued by a citizen for their liability in not shutting the occupiers down when someone gets hurt or gets sick?
GOT hurt or sick. Both have happened, including fatalities.
"No retreat, no surrender."
Try that without leaders.
They did try, and failed.
Anyone else crack up during the stories about these "protests" when a leader shouts something and everyone repeats it?
This morning I actually heard something like the leader shouting "We demand freedom." and the crowd shouting "We demand freedom."
It made me think of the following possible scenario, made funny by the fact that everyone would be taking it very seriously:
Leader: "We demand to be different."
Followers: "We demand to be different."
Leader: "We demand to not repeat what other people say."
Followers: "We demand to not repeat what other people say."
Now what happens with the $500,000+?
Maybe they'll send it to the Treasury.
It's turning into "Les Miserables"...
No it's not - it was an ignorant-assed joke from Day One.
It's turning into "Les Miserables"... Now we pledge ourselves to hold this barricade ...
All barricades are not created equal.
Michael McNeil,
Hey, nobody told me there would be math!!!
So if it is actually a private park, the city can file against the owners for allowing a public nuisance and a public disturbance or whatever the legal terms are. Like rh -- barbecuing -- whatever -- *with* attendant fines. Of course the park owner can sue the bank account of OWS for that and for every minute they don't get out of there, legal fees ....)
Private enterprise does have a way of getting results.
And that $1/2 mil won't last long with the plethora of attorneys who have piled on with the OWS people.
Hehe.
Talk about the 1% and greed (or normal savvy?) The OWS people are paying for this?
If it could have only lasted until November 2012......what a pity.
Oh, one way or another they'll be back. The ones who knew when to quit already did.
"Joe said...
Anyone else crack up during the stories about these "protests" when a leader shouts something and everyone repeats it?
This morning I actually heard something like the leader shouting "We demand freedom." and the crowd shouting "We demand freedom."
It made me think of the following possible scenario, made funny by the fact that everyone would be taking it very seriously:
Leader: "We demand to be different."
Followers: "We demand to be different."
Leader: "We demand to not repeat what other people say."
Followers: "We demand to not repeat what other people say.""
What, you don't remember Monty Python's Life of Brian?
"Brian: You're ALL individuals!
The Crowd: Yes! We're all individuals!
Brian: You're all different!
The Crowd: Yes, we ARE all different!
Man in crowd: I'm not...
The Crowd: Shhh!
There is a certain kind of bourgeoisie young person who has been raised in comfort and love yet feels so deeply guilty for it all. They romanticize the barricades and want so badly to be themselves oppressed. This is how it's always been in the civilized world.
Tibore, that's why it rang familiar. I hang my head in shame for not remembering the reference.
Is it a camp ground? No? Why did it take this long to get them out?
Stupid.
I keep hearing that the park is technically private property. If that's the case, isn't this up to the owner, not the city (other than being up to the city to enforce the owners' demand for ouster)?
I would think that zoning laws would bar the erection of a tent city.
Quoth the Professor: "It's turning into "Les Miserables"
"You on the barricade, listen to this!"
Maybe the owners are Marxists and approve of this occupation.
Zuccotti Park is in fact privately owned,but is set aside for public access at the behest of the City. It's a "if you do this here we'll let you do that there" deal between the developer (you) and the City (we). I'm not sure that the City can just throw them out without the permission of the owner under normal circumstances. But once the group became a public nuisance or a danger to public health, then I imagine the City could act unilaterally.
Young Hegelian, the Richmond Tea Party has taken an action that every Tea Party group that held a rally in a city where OWS spinoffs camped out should copy:
Richmond Tea Party Treasurer Corky Mann hand delivered an invoice for $8500 to city government. In the wake of the preferential treatment that has been granted to the “Occupy” protest in Richmond (which was finally evicted on October 28), the Richmond Tea Party wants a full refund for all city-imposed costs related to their annual Tax Day rally. John Pride, a member of the Richmond Tea Party and author of the article writes:
For each event at Kanawha Plaza we filed timely applications for governmental review and paid all required permit fees. We arranged for toilets, first-aid care, staging, lights and sound, off-duty police officers for security, event insurance and volunteers trained to support an orderly day of protest. We always left the property as clean as — or cleaner than — we found it. The Occupy Richmond group met none of these benchmarks while camped out in the same Kanawha Plaza between Oct. 15th and Oct. 31 (the morning they were finally evicted). So in the spirit of our founding principle of equal application of the law, the Richmond Tea Party is requesting a full refund from the City of Richmond for city-imposed costs related to these three rallies.
Media outnumber protestors at Zucatti Park. Film at eleven.
Snark aside, supposedly the SS is saying a bullet has struck the White House and Oscar Ortega-Hernandez is the guy they are looking for in connection to bullets found earlier around 1600 Penn Ave.
He was basically telling the kids that the OWS struggle, and the struggle leading up to the June Uprising, were one and the same.
I suppose he glossed over the part about The Terror and the tens of thousands of "enemies of the revolution" that were killed.
I lived around the corner from Zuccotti Park for the past three years and it is definitely my favorite public space.
Here is some video I shot this past weekend walking through the encampment - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcHw5JbKn28.
Here is a photo I took a couple of years ago that I think captures the magic of the park (especially at night). It was really upsetting to see what had become of the park once the tents started going up.
@ScottM: I suppose he glossed over the part about The Terror and the tens of thousands of "enemies of the revolution" that were killed.
Of course he did. Can't have the children exposed to all those icky details.
He wanted all of the romanticism, but none of the horrible. Like all those dead people, for example.
Hopefully, at some point someone in the cast wondered, "But what about the guy who lost all his friends? They're all dead now. Is that what OWS is all about? Getting all your friends killed?"
Seems to me that the folks who supported OWS "from a distance" were completely caught up in the romance of it, but didn't want to deal with the harsh reality. Sort of like a Harlequin novel, but without the hot dude on the cover.
Sort of like a Harlequin novel, but without the hot dude on the cover.
The hot dude has ringworm.
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