The RNC is more than a week away and the battle for New York City's streets has already begun in a series of arrests and lawsuits.
In an ironic twist, four women affiliated with the organization Codepink were arrested during NYC's Mayor Bloomberg press conference on his "discount program for demonstrators" yesterday. They were arrested while they were unrolling their "pink slip," for the mayor - a 40 foot long pink banner reading ???You Say Welcome, We Say Where -- 8/29 Central Park?"
"By presenting a pink slip to Mayor Bloomberg, CODEPINK wanted to draw attention to the discrepancy between the Mayor???s words in front of the TV cameras and his actions behind closed doors,??? explained Jodie Evans, one of the founders of the organization. ???Requests for permits to rally peacefully in the park have been categorically denied. We do not need discounts at Applebee???s; we need an administration that sets a course for peace and respects our right to speak.???
Mayor Bloomberg turned down request from multiple organizations for permits to rally peacefully in Central Park on August 29. In response, United for Peace and Justice filed a lawsuit yesterday with the New York Supreme Court to obtain permission to protest.
Later in the day, Judge Jacqueline Silberman denied the city's appeal to dismiss the case.
The next battle will begin Tuesday, August 24 when the city is forced to produce papers of why it's denying the UPJ's petition.
Tracy Van Slyke, a former publisher of In These Times, is the project director for The Media Consortium.
