Protesting Banned in Central Park
Well, it seems that just on the heels of Mayor Bloomberg's announcement that NYC is welcoming "Peaceful Protesters" during the RNC, the city has decided not to allow protesting on Central Park's Great Lawn.
The city's decision to deny a permit to protesters for a rally on Central Park's Great Lawn on the weekend before the Republican National Convention is about preserving the lawn, not suppressing speech, lawyers for the city said in federal court Friday.
The lawn would be ruined if 75,000 people gathered there for a rally on Aug. 28 and then 250,000 people used the lawn for another rally the next day, said Gail Donoghue, representing the city.
Yes, we welcome peaceful protesters, but just not in plain view. What exactly are the peaceful protesters supposed to do if not protest, just walk the streets of the city in silence occasionally stopping to buy coffee or a postcard? If they don't want people to be protesting in a prominent location, at least give a better bullshit reason than lawn preservation. My solution? Picket this decision right on the Great Lawn.