NYC Indymedia: Breaking News Tonights RNC Protests

12:05 AM Still no reports of mass arrests outside RNC.

09/02 11:44 PM Order to disperse now given at 30th St. abnd 8th Ave. At 7th Ave and 29th people are agressively heckling Republican delegates and not (yet) being arrested for it.

09/02 11:35 PM The march has reunited; the 11:35 dispersal order was never given and Smaller group of people are moving north again. There is also a band that really rocks.

09/02 11:30 PM 8th and 29th: People are dispersing east and south. People are allowed to leave, police presence is concentrating around the group that remains at the front.

09/02 11:25 PM The majority of the Union Sq. march is now trying to turn back to Union Sq. There is a contingent of people who are sitting down and refusing to leave.

09/02 11:16 PM Five people now left in 100 Center St., the five ACT-UP activists elected on Wednesday. 4 felonies, 1 misdem.

09/02 11:10 PM The Union Sq. March has now been penned near 30th, police are threatening arrests at 11:35 if people dont leave. Balloons are now falling onto President Bush and Republican delegates. Police have called for the sound machine.

09/02 11:04 PM Bush says that "ordering people into battle is the hardest decison, even when the decision is right." 3000+ people are marching north on 8th Avenue, chanting "No More Bush" and are nearing the protest pen.

09/02 10:52 PM Police are throning the length of 8th ave up to at least 20th St., but so far have a "hands-off" approach despite their massive numbers. We're hearing 1-5000 protesters.

09/02 10:49 PM Two activists have just been pulled from the floor of the Garden after disrupting Bush's speech.
On the newswire: Activists Disrupt Bush's speech

09/02 10:36 PM Jails are essentially empty. The court was to have reconvened at 10:30 to examine the remaining 8 people charged with felonies.

09/02 10:31 PM There is now a very large group moving out of Union Sq. Several thousand people have taken the street from Union Sq. Moving west but hoping to go north toward the Garden.

09/02 10:18 PM The crowd moving north on 5th Ave from Union Sq. stretches about 12 blocks. Police report 500-1000. At the same time, the ANSWER rally has turned into a march and is going south along 8th ave.
The negotiations with the NYPD for the Union Sq. march have failedbut the crowd is moving anyway.

09/02 10:11 PM As George W. Bush reads lines from a teleprompter, a group from Union Sq. is walking north on 8th Ave., 2 by 2.

09/02 10:07 PM Running commentary from ANoise re: Bush speech now on IMC-Sound.

09/02 10:03 PM George W. Bush is now manipulating 9/11 images on TV. The ANSWER rally seems to be ending peacefully. The organizers just told folks to go home.

09/02 10:00 PM There is a symbolic die-in now at Union Sq. George Bush now has a promotional video on the TV proclaiming what a great guy he is.

09/02 09:52 PM The breakaway march at 37th and 8th appears to be a Protest Warrior group. They are now putting down their signs and are kissing up to the police.

09/02 09:39 PM The protest pens are opening up again near MSG; second and first pen combining. Police still there, protests more happy at ability to move.

09/02 09:35 PM Report from the ANSWER rally: police are driving motorcycles into protest pens.

09/02 09:27 PM ANSWER Rally, 29th & 8th: Looking down from second floor. 5-6000 people penned in by police barricades. Police putting helmets & gloves on and lining up in formation. Cops may try to clear streets before Bush's speech starts.

09/02 09:24 PM Police have moved towards Union Sq. with plastic handcuffs. Seem to be getting orders from white-shirted officers on the south side of the sq.

09/02 09:22 PM Multiple protest pens near MSG. Police out at the protest pens are letting people out of the front pen but are not letting them back in. Chanting going on: "let them in."

09/02 09:20 PM Police have closed off Broadway going southbound from Union Sq.

09/02 09:06 PM Report from Rally at 8th and 30th reporter "said it was the angriest crowd he's seen so far and very hard to join the protest." Police are threatening to pull the ANSWER sound system.

09/02 09:04 PM Pictrue of LRAD.

09/02 09:00 PM The Infernal Noise Brigade just got their last person out of jail. They will be playing a show at St. Marks tonight at 10:30

09/02 08:49 PM We're hearing that there are 4 blocks full near Madison Sq. Garden at the ANSWER rally. Police are giving protesters trying to get back in the protest the run-around. A speaker is shouting to the crowd.

09/02 08:38 PM Pretty chill scene still at Union Sq. Several thousand people. Lots of people selling stuff; its a cool "counter-cultural festival."
On the newswire: LRAD - Long Range Acoustic Device (pics & science)

09/02 08:20 PM There is an additonal small contingent of protesters rallying at 34th and 7th. Large # of police. The group is planning to march to the ANSWER rally.

09/02 08:13 PM There is a carnival atmosphere in Union Sq. Lots of art for sale, and a great presence by Iraq Vets. against the war.Several thousand at least. Caller feels that the police presence is heavy but par for the course in NYC at this point.

09/02 08:01 PM The Protest Warriors are being put in their own pen. It is expected that the two pens will scream at each other for a while.

09/02 07:51 PM Officer has powered on the LRAD (sound weapon) device, pointing it west. volume is at minimum. It has not been deployed yet.

09/02 07:48 PM ANSWER rally taking up two blocks; not moving anywhere. A group of pro-Bush Protest Warriors in moving toward the ANSWER rally and is at 36th and 9th Ave.

09/02 07:41 PM Police have penned the south side of Union Sq.

09/02 07:30 PM 1500 people now in Union Sq. Large police presence but fairly chill so far. Bike police on all corners. As it gets dark the crowd seems to be getting more excited and larger, still fesitve atmosphere.

09/02 07:12 PM There are 100-200 people at 29th St. and 8th Ave in the ANSWER pen. There are several hundred people in Union Sq. Reports of law enforcement with semi-automatic weapons at 34th St. and 7th Ave.

09/02 06:56 PM Police have moved 20 vans around Union Square and are now going west on 14th St.

09/02 06:42 PM Receiving reports that an LRAD (sound weapon) is present at north side of Union Square.

09/02 06:39 PM Reports of a police provocateur outside 100 Center St. Spirited speech by the NLG also outside 100 Center St.

09/02 06:26 PM St. James and Pearl (R6 on the People's Guide to the RNC) is the location where detainees are picking up property. Many police there; would be good to have media there too.
Location directly east of the Courthouse.

09/02 05:56 PM Legal update : A judge has found the city in contempt of its ruling regarding the release of prisoners. The city will be charged $1000 per each of the 470 prisoners that should have been released within the time frame mandated earlier this afternoon.

Also, there was a dispute in court over the exact number of detainees who are currently "lost" within the system, meaning they are in limbo between being handcuffed and actually being charged. city has admitted there are 54 of these cases. Legal is suggesting there are up to 700.

Either way, the number detained is above and beyond the 470 people the city is currently required to release.

A more in-depth legal reportback will be held at 7:00 pm in rm# 1317, 100 Centre St. Open to the public.

09/02 05:52 PM Up to 2000 people in Union Sq.

09/02 05:42 PM The UFPJ vigil at Union Sq. has started almost an hour early; there are at least 1000 people there.

09/02 05:29 PM 55 people in Central Booking have been on a lengthy hunger strike to protest the conditions at Pier 57 as well as their indefinite detention; they include a number of bystanders swept up during mass arrests.

09/02 05:21 PM There are currently a large number of police at 100 Centre St-- believed to be setting up a "control situation" to prepare for the mass release of hundreds of people. As of now, however, we have confirmation that the NYPD continues to defy the court order to release the detainees at central booking.

09/02 04:34 PM Norman Siegel, NLG: The city of New York attempted to 'lose' the people currently held in central booking until after Bush gave his speech tonight, after which they would miraculously be 'found.'
On the newswire: PDF - Writ of Habeas Corpus filed by NLG 9/1/04

09/02 04:25 PM The judge has just ruled that 470 people are to be released from Central Booking immediately. The crowd outside 100 Center St. is chanting: "470, let them go!"

09/02 04:07 PM Update from Central Booking: According to Rick Best with the NLG and imcistas, the number of people still in jail are actually going UP as they "discover" new people. There are hundreds more people still in jail as of 4:10, than there were a few hours ago-- new detainees have been "found."

09/02 04:06 PM Anoise radio is currently conducting amazing interviews with Iraq War vets now oppsed to the war.

09/02 03:47 PM Eyewitness reports from central booking: support group has just been put in pens, but nothing more agressive. It appears that there's still only been a trickle of people released from 100 Center st.

09/02 02:39 PM Jamie Moran of RNCnotwelcome just called the IMC. He is currently being followed by two undercover police at the corner of 6th Ave. and 9th St. Those with camera might be appreciated in the area.

09/02 02:29 PM The court just reconvened to check the City's compliance with the writ. As of 2:40, ony 27 of the 117 people who were supposed to be released by 1:30 have been released. The judge ordered that those not in court or the feeder pen must be released immedately. For the 3rd time in 24 hours the city is directly disobeying a court order.

09/02 01:42 PM Andre 3000 from Outkast just went down to 100 Centre st. to talk to people about the situation of the detainees. Then he came over to the IMC space and talked to us about the coverage we've been doing.

09/02 01:30 PM A judge has ruled, lawyers will not be denied access to inspect the conditions at Pier 57.

09/02 01:14 PM Uncomfirmed reports: Fountains at Washington Square, Metropolitan Museum, Columbus Circle, Lincoln Center, and the Brooklyn Museum have also been dyed red to send the message, "Blood on Bush's hands. No empire."

09/02 01:12 PM The judge at 100 Center Street has just ruled: those protesters held for 38+ hours (120 people) must be relased by 1:00 or arraigned by 1:30.
Those that have been held for 36-38 (350 people) hours must be released by 3:00 or arraigned.

Those that have been held from 24-36 (90 people) hours must be released or arraigned by 5:00.

09/02 12:57 PM The fountains in Union Square are allegedly flowing red with the blood of the Bush administration's crimes.

09/02 12:51 PM A large group of outraged parents is gathering outside the court house, waiting to hear the habeus corpus decision.

09/02 12:50 PM Bush is now inside the Garden, pressing the flesh.

09/02 11:32 AM At 8:05 am, Nineteen ACT UP protesters were were arrested after they refused police orders to leave Grand Central station. About 100 protesters there.

09/02 11:26 AM George W. Bush and his father have now gone to church at 38th St. and Park Avenue. Folks at work in the area update us.

09/02 11:03 AM The writ hearing just temporarily halted. Both sides are going to sit down at the table and discuss how many people are actually locked up. Will reconvene at 12:30pm

09/02 10:30 AM NLG is expecting habeas corpus decision @ 12:30pm. There have been a number of irregularities related to this hearing, with disputes arising as to whether it will be held in criminal or civil court.

09/02 10:22 AM The accuracy of this memo posted to our open newswire has been called into question by a number of IMC readers and researchers.

09/02 09:59 AM Update on the the NLG writ hearing: The location of the hearing has been moved at least once this morning. It is being held at 100 Center St. rm 1317. There is a very slow process of getting in.

09/02 09:35 AM According to the Open Newswire, there will be a 10 am vigil protest outside of central booking. Some detainees are reporting that they are still being held after 36 hours.

09/02 06:52 AM A judge will be ruling on the NLG's writ of habeus corpus at 60 Center St. rm#130 TODAY at 9:00am.

09/02 06:32 AM Most recent update from inside the jail: people are outraged at the length of time they have been held. One person's leg is swelling up, possibly due to chemicals from Pier 57. Detainees are still being denied access to medical treatment and attorneys.

09/02 05:23 AM Most recent update from inside the jail: people are outraged at the length of time they have been held. One person's leg is swelling up, possibly due to chemicals from Pier 57. Detainees are still being denied access to medical treatment and attorneys.

09/02 04:31 AM Attorneys were denied access to their clients despite the court order granting them access.
50-70 people remain outside the jail. Police are allowing people to stay there under trees or on benches, as long as they are not on the sidewalk.

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