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04/20/2007

Video: Gays and bikers mount a protest built for two

by Jeremy Hooper

So there has been a big debate in NYC over newly enacted laws limiting the right to assemble in groups of 50 or more without a permit. At the forefront of the protest against the new laws have been cyclists who hold large rides throughout the streets of the city, and who feel that they should not be regulated in the same way as parades and other large demonstrations. On the other end of the debate are those who claim that the city is simply looking out for public safety. Then on a third end are those New Yorkers who care only about the latest sale at Barneys, money, or who they'll see at Marquee, and who that think their days of caring about the Constitution ended after they were forced to recite the preamble in 5th grade.

It's a diverse place, this city.

Well yesterday, a group of New Yorkers who do deeply care about freedom, the Constitution, and this issue, joined in the fray. An organization pointedly calling themselves the Radical Homosexual Agenda (finally, we've found it!) teamed with the cyclists to protest the NYPD ruling on parade permitting, as well as out City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who is publicly supporting the new laws. Here is some footage (shot by Team Spider) from that action (**Warning: Language possibly NSFW. Oh, and be sure to watch the violence displayed by the NYPD beginning around the 3:45 mark!!!):

Wait a minute, who are we supposed to fear -- the cyclists or the cops? Because while tensions seemed high on both ends, it seems to this writer that they (*see below) who should be keeping the peace were more than ready to incite violence! Scary.

To learn more about this issue, Assemble for Rights NYC has all facets covered.

ASSEMBLE FOR RIGHTS NYC JOINS RADICAL HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA RALLY APRIL 19 [Assemble For Rights NYC]

**Edit: Should have specified that only one or two look like they acted out of line. We mean no disrespect to the NYPD at large.

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Your thoughts

Okay, G-A-Y, I love your site. I have supported EVERYTHING since I found your site this time last year, and I'm a heterosexual woman. I have absolutely stood by you and said "ahh, how refreshing". Unfortunately, and hopefully you don't shun me for this one opinion, I don't think baiting the cops is going to help anyone.

I say this because my brother in law is an NYPD. And if I have learned one lesson, it is when a cop tells you to stop, move, or go over there, you do it.

To be honest, I think a protest or march of more than 50 people should be required to have a permit. Because as someone who works in New York, trying to get around this stuff, when ti comes without warning, is a bitch. When they don't move along, the just linger, they stand around and you have to push, fights insue, it's an issue. No one is limiting their free speech. They are simply required to go through the proper dealios to enable it in a place especially like new york, that is so ridicuously over crowded. I get mad when a tourist is standing taking a pic in time square and i cant get around him. I can't begin to tell you how pissed I would be, whether it was a gay group, the KKK, or people who support the donation of all donald trumps money to africa, if they simply just stood around and marched without a permit and without warning.

I think New York is NOT a police state. People don't understand that the random incidents that get put in the MSM (say, sean bell) are NOT representative of the cops as a whole. Cops do so much good for this city, and I didn't see people minding New York being a police state when the police died in 9/11. No one seemed mad the police were doing their jobs then. This is their job. That group was absolutely blocking traffic EVERYWHERE, both on the street AND the sidewalk. The guys called the cops pigs and assholes, and yes, you know what, the cops have a right to physically move you "there" from "here" if he asks and you don't and instead you call him an asshole. That's just how it is.

I have just one question to those who called the cops pigs, called New York a police state, etc, made sure to "acknowledge police brutality". When new hate crimes legislation gets passed (and I am keeping my fingers that they do), if a cop comes to the rescue of a gay or lesbian woman getting the shit kicked out of them by some psycho christian or whatever, will they be a pig for throwing th eguy off the gay person? Will they be a pig for doing their job then?

Just think about it. Cops aren't assholes. But they deal with MANY every day.

Posted by: Stefanie | Apr 20, 2007 4:34:03 PM

Hold up there, Stephanie. I think you are putting the protesters' words into our mouth! We really didn't pick sides in the battle at all, more just conveying the information to set up the video. The only thing I (Jeremy) implied is that judging by the footage, one or two of the cops do seem to have gotten a little violent (which has been corroborated by personal accounts from those on-site). I stand by that.

I have also been personally, forcibly pushed by an NYC cop at a gay rally, wherein I was standing on a public sidewalk videotaping, breaking no law. Do I judge the entire NYPD on the basis of that incident or by this video? Of course not! Am I grateful to the NYPD for their hard, often heroic work? ABSOLUTELY! But you also can't make a broad, weeping statement that "cops are not assholes." Every group of people (including the LGBT community) has its unfortunate members, as well as those who simply act out of line from time to time. And again, judging by this video, it looks to me like one or two of the cops acted in more forcible means than were necessary. The public is free to judge it as they wish.

Posted by: G-A-Y | Apr 20, 2007 4:42:23 PM

Hey Jeremy,

2 things. One, thanks for posting my post event hough it wasn't in total agreement and 2, I DO love your site very much! So I hope you know that, I respect what you do very much. :)

I understand what you're saying, and yes sometimes in these situations a push or a shove or whatever isn't neccessary-I do agree. But as someone who knwos first hand (or second hand, I suppose) what cops go through when they are "polite" or not so like, in your face, I understand. Should the cop have pushed you? Def not. But maybe something else in the crowd was going on and he was trying to get shit together--situations liek this are scary when its you know, 50 people against 6. You never know if someone in that 50 is batsh*t crazy and you are on your guard. Not an excuse, but an excuse, you know?

I agree-every group has it's bad people. Every one. You're totally right. I'm not saying all cops aren't assholes, I'm saying I just hate when people HARP on this whole "police brutality" and (not that you did this but a lot of people do) "racial profiling" thing. I don't think people really understand a lot of the situations, or understand what cops are meant to do.

For example...quickly, I go to Univ. of Maryland. We have been NOTORIOUS for rioting after Duke games, or really big games we win. Because we're stupid. We break things, set things on fire, clog up route 1 (the ONLY street in college park) and we make a mess of everything. People complain that the cops were unneccessarily violent with us because they pushed, shoved, gassed, whatever...but at the end of the day, you gotta look at the big picture--whats mroe important. the safety of alllll the people trying to get by on that city street, or the comfort and avialability of the 50 or so who refuse to move when a cop says move?

I dunno. That's just my take on it. I didn't mean to imply you were like, inciting a riot against cops or anything. I just wanted to speak as someone who knows a lot of the situations.

Again...I still love your site to pieces and I hope you continue to keep up the good work :)

Posted by: Stefanie | Apr 20, 2007 8:02:42 PM

You know I've been having a discussion with a co-worker about why you can't trust the police. I don't care where you live, they're neo-nazi thugs.

The police don't realize that if they keep this shit up, there's going to be some serious payback. Especially if you know the soft underbelly of the system like I do.

Posted by: Tony P | Apr 20, 2007 11:01:14 PM

Also, I know i'm harping on this, but thank you for adding that edit. I think it gives a better perspective of what you're trying to say with the video. I greatly respect you for it.

I have never doubted you to be a good person with good thoughts and a great way of expressing them. Thanks for listening and for understanding what I meant and for finding a really great way to compromise for both of us. YAY.

Okay have a great weekend!

Posted by: Stefanie | Apr 21, 2007 12:04:23 AM

It's pretty clear from the video that these cops shouldn't have badges. It was brutal and their behavior was illegal. Just because a cop tells to do something does NOT mean that they have to right to tell you do it or that you have to. The NYPD is full of thugs as anyone who has ever been to a protest in the city can attest to. Not all cops are assholes, but in New York, many of them certainly have problems following the law. NYPD will loose the eventual lawsuit. Have you ever looked up the numbers on the police brutality lawsuits in New York. It's appalling.

Posted by: ted | Apr 21, 2007 3:39:52 PM

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