This is funny 
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Singapore on the Hudson
By Civil Defense
The new law being drafted and prepared for enforcement by the NYPD
would set a terrible precedent.
Its a bad law, for sure. It greatly broadens the power of the NYPD
to enforce its parading without a permit crime. Heres what it
says:
* Any group of two (yes, 2) or more cyclists or pedestrians
traveling down a public street, who violate any traffic law, rule
or regulation can be arrested for parading without a permit;
* Every group of 20 or more cyclists must obtain a permit and
approved route from the NYPD;
* Every group of 35 or more pedestrians must obtain a permit and
approved route from the NYPD.
This will turn New York City into Singapore on the Hudson. It will
give the police the authority to arrest anyone on the street. They
may already do this, but this will make it legitimate.
You and your friend jaywalk? Go to jail. You and a friend riding
your bikes without bells, outside of bike lanes, or with your feet
off the pedals? Go to jail. Not, go to jail on some trumped up
charge. Go to jail as in, guilty as charged.
And thats not even the real problem with this law. The city
obviously needs new rules on parading after a judge struck down the
overly-broad current statute the NYPD was using to arrest bike
riders indiscriminately at the monthly Critical Mass rides.
The New York Civil Liberties Union has offered a much better
solution, forming an independent agency charged with issuing parade
and assembly permits, which it published as part of its analysis of
police misconduct during the 2004 Republican National
Convention.
Really, the First Amendment is the only permit we need. The police
and the mayor forfeited their permitting authority when they so
blatantly abused it in that summer of 2004, as confirmed recently
in court.
Policing parades notwithstanding, the real problem of this new law
is that it was written by the executive branch of our local
government, not the legislative branch. Theres a name for that
kind of government, and its not democracy.
The NYPD made the announcement on July 18, is holding an
informational hearing on August 23 at their headquarters, and can
put the measure into effect the next day.
It never has to go before City Council, the state legislature, or
Congress. But it is written like a law, will have the effect of
law, and violating it will be a crime punishable with at least a
night in jail (or three nights, as people who paraded without a
permit during the 2004 Republican National Convention
received).
This is more than a further slide down the slope of high-pressure,
sacrifice-your-civil-liberties policing weve seen throughout the
current and previous Republican mayors. This is a dangerous new
precedent that says the NYPD gets to write its own laws and decide
how to enforce them.
We need to get City Council to stand up for itself and us:
1. Contact Speaker Quinn and tell her you oppose the proposed
rules: http://www.nyccouncil.info/rightnow/contactspkr.cfm
2. Contact your City Councilmember, tell them youre outraged over
the NYPDs proposed changes to the parade permit rules and ask your
City Councilmember to speak out about them at the August 23rd
hearing.
Look up your Councilmember at:
http://www.nyccouncil.info/constituent/index.cfm
If you want to take part in public events:
1. Speak at the public forum being held tonight, Thursday, August
17, at 7:00 pm at St. Marks Church.
2. Join a public rally before the NYPD hearing at 6:00 pm on
Wednesday, August 23, at 1 Police Plaza.
For more information, visit Assemble for Rights NYC and
Transportation Alternatives.
By Civil Defense
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http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2006/08/74795.shtml