Lawyers Accuse Brookfield Of 1st Amendment Violation, Bloomberg Won't Budge

[cal04]

http://gothamist.com/2011/10/13/lawyers_group_accuses_brookfield_of.php

A group of attorneys from the National Lawyers Guild just fired off a letter (below) to Brookfield Properties, which has thus far refused to negotiate with demonstrators occupying Zuccotti Park. At press time, Mayor Bloomberg and the NYPD have given no indication that they are persuaded by the protesters' DIY cleanup, and the stage is set for mass arrests tomorrow morning (or maybe in the dead of night, if Boston is any indication). Bloomberg spokesman Marc La Vorgna just sent this statement:

The protestors will be able to continue to exercise their First Amendment rights in Zuccotti Park, or anywhere else in New York City. Brookfield requested the City’s assistance so they can meet their obligation to maintain this public park for all New Yorkers. Protesters can remain in the park during Brookfield’s section-by-section clean-up and they will be able to return to the cleaned sections once work is completed tomorrow and can stay in the park 24/7 so long as they follow park rules.

We will continue to defend and guarantee their free speech rights, but those rights do not include the ability to infringe on the rights of others, which is why the rules governing the park will be enforced.

Ah, sounds reasonable enough! But the devil is in the details. As we pointed out this morning, the sticking point for protesters is the "rules being enforced." These rules are new and specifically tailored by Brookfield to drive away the occupation—they prohibit such things as tarps, sleeping bags, tents, and sleeping on the ground. Today NYPD Chief Ray Kelly confirmed that the NYPD would enforce the new rules, which make any long-term occupation of the park all but impossible, unless demonstrators are able to sleep standing up.

letter at link
http://gothamist.com/2011/10/13/lawyers_group_accuses_brookfield_of.php
Liberty Park Legal Working Group

[smokey nj]

1. Michael Bloomberg is nothing but a fascist.

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. Didn't he make most or all of his money on Wall Street?

[smokey nj]

3. Pretty much.

[Fire Walk With Me]

5. Then we should be utterly unsurprised that he is using his power to defend his kin.

And expect any depth of conniving.

[Scuba]

9. +1 He's the definition of the term. n/t

[fascisthunter]

4. Didn't the NYPD get bribed recently by part of the 1%

honorable my ass you are..! You don't deserve badges, you deserve bars.

[Homer12]

6. Bloomberg should be recalled

I think those in NY should get rid of the 1% that stole his office.

[mmonk]

7. I say camp at Central Park then.

[Fire Walk With Me]

8. That is sounding like a better and better idea.

[Abq_Sarah]

10. They don't allow camping

Technically, Central Park closes at 1:00 AM. Zuccotti was picked both for location and the fact that it's open 24/7 since it's not a city owned park.