Friday, August 08, 2008
Some Final Images From the Pit ....
Thursday, August 07, 2008
The Real David Peel Birthday Party ...
After the metal jam David Peel led a group from Tompkins square Park to a narrow stretch of sidewalk across avenue B from the Christodora . Displaying a large "Impeach Bush " banner a group that had largely co-opted the Peel birthday party led the way with their banner directly behind Mr. Peel .
The police had cordoned off a narrow stretch of sidewalk that the birthday partiers decided was just not right for their party . They thus marched back to the central part of TSP with their banner out front .
On the way back the group stopped at the TSP restrooms , verbally harangued some dog owners over the fence at the new dog run and mixed with some park regulars in varying states of alertness who routinely can be found in or around the restrooms .
On returning to the central part of TSP the "Impeach Bush" banner was stretched out in front of the benches where the party was to begin .There was a brief period of discord between some of the party's members and some of the Crusties but the party then began .
David sang and some sort of pie with whipped cream--for a brief moment we thought that this pie was to be used by Aaron Kay "the pieman "to pie David--was presented to him . those around David quickly inhaled the pie .
Chris Sileo made good on his offer to provide some pizza . There were perhaps as many as 8 pies but they were mostly eaten by the crew that was taking down the stage . We heard that Biker Bill all by himself inhaled one whole pie. We were told that the pizza was especially good ;we never got to taste any of it .
The party continued for several hours with people gathered talking , singing ,drinking beer and smoking a little weed .
An unburned flag was there ,up-side-down of course.
The crowd that had brought the big banners went back to the Christodora for an hour-long protest but then returned to the birthday party .
We left at 10:30 pm with the party still going strong with 40 or so partiers . As we left David was taking a picture of "Pony Boy" .
Concerning the Sunday Concert Sound Ticket and More ...
We have spoken with individuals that were present when the concert sound level was measured by NYPD personnel . They have told us that there was some discord with NYPD at the time that the measurements were made but that no ticket was issued . Though the device used to read the sound level indicated readings that NYPD claimed were to high the police did not issue a ticket but told the responsible persons at the concert that a summons would be mailed to them . This seems to us something new ; usually tickets are issued at the site of the violation to the responsible persons . Some believe that there will be no ticket mailed and that the incident was just harrasment . We will just have to wait to see how this comes out .
On another note we have been informed by the organizers of the "Donut Social" at the 9th precinct headquarters on Sept 5 , 2008 at 8 pm that there will also be a march after the protest .The march will proceed first to the Economakis residence at 47 E. 3rd Street for a breif protest and then to the Christodora for a protest there .
We also have been told that the organizers are applying for a sound permit and if possible will have "Leftover Crack " perform live at the protest .
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
At the Christodora , But Not David Peel's Birthday Party ...
As David Peel's birthday party continued in Tompkins Square Park a group of protestors that had attended David's party earlier gathered in front of the gentrification icon the Christodora .
Mr. Peel's party had left this location more than 2 hours earlier to return to the comfort of the large crowd still in the central part of TSP because it was a much better place for the party .
The protestors above at the Christodora spoke out and sang to the accompaniement of a guitar .The police requested that they take the speaking and music to the other side of avenue B .
One resident came down from the building and started arguing with the protestors ,Richie in particular . In frustaion the resident flicked a cigarette in Richie's face . Richie lunged toward the Christodora resident and was grabbed and restrained by the police . The Christodora resident was also detained as a police officer asked Richie if he wanted to press charges . Richie clearly had the option to press charges but he declined to do so . The Christodora resident was escorted into the building by police officers .
After perhaps an hour at the Christodora the protestors returned to David Peel's birthday party which party continued for some time into the late nigh in TSP .
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
In Attendance Sunday in TSP : Some of the Folks that Helped Bring You the Tompkins Square Park Protests and Riots of the Late '80s and Early '90s ...
Karl the Trotskyist lives in the neighborhood and today owns his own squatter apartment .
Richie the Anarchist . He was there in 1988 at the big riot and can still be found today wherever there is a protest .
John the Communist no longer lives in the city but mamaged to return to celebrate the riots of yore .
The Metal Jam ...
As the Hungry March Band was ending its acoustic performance on the stage , 50 feet away the Metal Jam took over and gave acoustic performance a new meaning . Banging on drums as well as found metal objects the Jam pounded out a loud rythmic droan just like the old days in Tompkins Square Park . The performance lasted perhaps a half hour or so and seemed as loud as any of the amplified sound earlier in the day .
After-Concert Wedgies in Tompkins Square Park ..
Yes , a little drunken frat-boy behavior in TSP ; behavior that's more commonly found down on lower avenue B.
Concerning the Dollar Bills Thrown to the Crowd at the Sunday Concert in Tompkins Square Park .
Chris Flash publisher of the "Shadow" provided these two dollar bills for us to photograph . Chris claims that they were both tossed to the crowd . As can be seen one of the dollar bills has been burned . The other bill has a sticker with an internet address : advertisement .
We had been told that this money tossing event would happen but it did not happen where we were told . Unfortunately we thus missed the event .
The Flag-Burning on Sunday in Tompkins Square Park ...
We couldn't support an ammendment to the constitution to make flag-burning unconstitutional but we would likely never burn a flag either . With this in mind we present these images from Sunday's 20th anniversary riot concert.
The flag entered the concert area on a cardboard tube attatched to the tube up-side-down , the symbol for distress . The flag was grabbed at , torn and finally after many incompetent attempts with cigarette lighters lighted , burning as polyester does , as flaming liquid gobs of plastic falling to the ground .
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