You've Gotta Fight For Your Right to Protest

Will from the excellent onNYTurf writes that

A group of sites have gotten together to try to raise awareness of the rules the NYPD plans to put into effect after August 23rd.

We have put together a website that contains the key information and a list of action items people can take to stop the Mayor and NYPD.

... We don't have a lot of time to raise awareness and stop this. And thus far Chris Quinn is showing no leadership on challenging this. If she does not get pressure from citizens she will likely just play ball with the city's power elite.

As described on the site,

Under the guise of protecting the public safety, the New York City Police Department plans to expand its control over protest activity by labeling many common street and side walk uses as a "parade". If put into effect, these new rules will greatly suppress the right to assembly and expose peaceful protestors as well as regular people to arrest for things as simple as crossing the street against the light.

Anyone who has ever protested in NYC knows that these rules would give cops the excuse they want to fully squelch dissent. The NYPD always goes right up to the line of violating the right to assemble, and this law would allow them to cross that line.

I would like to believe that as a former activist and ED of a nonprofit, who I and many others have marched with in protests, Chris Quinn would be able to recognize how fucked up this law is, but she has not proven herself reliable when it comes to challenging the status quo. She has, however, proven herself responsive to pressure from interest groups, so let's put the pressure on.