Doug Lorimer
Despite attempts by New York City Republican mayor Michael Bloomberg to deny them permits, protests during the August 30-September 2 Republican Party national convention are expected to draw tens of thousands of anti-war activists.
Bloomberg has refused to allow protesters to rally in Central Park at the end of their August 29 march, sponsored by the United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) anti-war coalition. Instead, New York City authorities want them to lead the marchers away from the Republican convention site in Madison Square Gardens to the West Side Highway.
An opinion poll last month showed that 75% of New Yorkers support the right of protesters to rally in Central Park, rejecting the city's excuse for refusing the permit — that demonstrators might damage the grass.
In response to a ruling on August 25 by the New York State Supreme Court denying protesters a permit to rally in Central Park, UFPJ issued a statement reaffirming its intention to march past the Republican convention site, then along Broadway to a rally in Union Square.
"When the Republicans descend on New York City, with their agenda of war, greed, hate and lies, they will be met by a massive, diverse, peaceful outpouring of dissent, as huge numbers of us join together in a spirit of nonviolence for a legal, permitted march on August 29 to say NO to their destructive and divisive policies", the UFPJ statement declared.
The UFPJ-organised march is expected to draw at least 250,000 participants. More than 360 groups — including Iraq Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, and families of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks — have endorsed the August 29 march and rally.
From 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly, September 1, 2004.
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