NYPD: R.I.P. OWS

That lady looks fairly robust for an 84 year old grandmother. I hope I am in as good a shape when I hit her age.

 

Does anyone know why the protesters who were evicted in New York, Oakland, Denver and elsewhere didn’t get a temporary restraining order based on ex post facto? Although less glamorous than arguing Freedom of Speech ex post facto is nonetheless unconstitutional. The judge’s ruling denying the protesters in Zuccotti Park the right use tents, tarps, camp, etc. clearly states that the “rules” were enacted after the protests began.

“It is undisputed that, at some time after the Occupy Wall Street began, Brookfield Properties promulgated rules which prohibited……”

“Here, movants have not demonstrated that the rules adopted by the owners of the property, concededly after the demonstrations began…….”

The judge’s ruling:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.documentcloud.org/documents/266874/ows111511.pdf

 

It would be, but I never advocated for that, and you know it.

It's an insult for you to say otherwise.

I hope this isn't directed at me, since I made no argument along these line either.

What I did was mock this protest, this "library", and the predictable response to their eviction.

This was not a library in any true sense of the word. It's sole purpose was to create this exact situation. Whether it's "84-year-old grandmas getting maced" or "books being destroyed" the whole purpose is to create conflict, hope something goes wrong, and then complain about a "police state".

And, even more than grandmas getting maced, the OWS folks know that nothing will rile up New York City liberals like the "destruction of books".

A bunch of used, books, in cardboard boxes on the floor in a plaza, open to the public, isn't a library. It's litter. It's garbage. It's against the rules.

No one stormed into homes. No one "destroyed books" based on their content. They picked up the trash left behind.

If they wanted to save the books, they had 45 minutes to remove them.

If they really wanted to, they would have worked with community affairs officers ahead of time. They would have had a plan for this. But they refused to do so.

They wanted a conflict.

And, have no fear. New York liberals still have books overflowing their bookshelves. It's what they're famous for.

And, you can't give books away in NYC, because everyone has too many. I've tried to donate them to real libraries. They won't take them.

 

Not willing to negotiate:

 

Presumably ex post facto would only protect their time in the park before the rules were enacted. You don't get grandfathered in when an activity becomes outlawed because you were doing it before.

 

The right peaceably to assemble, as long as you clear it with the right folks ahead of time.

And I don't really care if you feel insulted. I just really don't.

 

I do find it ironic that the well planned and highly effective Tea Party movement was branded as a bunch of nuts while the OWS movement has been embraced as the 2nd coming of The Weathermen organization.

Abby Hoffman weeps.

 

Their rights to peacefully assemble have not been infringed.

They were briefly evicted from the plaza so it could be cleaned, and so that the rules of the park/plaza could be enforced moving forward.

There is no right to store your surplus books in a public space. If you abandon them there when you leave, it should not surprise anyone if they are treated as refuse.

And, knowing they live in a "police state", they could have taken measures ahead of time to "save the books" if they were so important to them.

Their failure to do so is an indication that the books were not important. The destruction of the books was advantageous. It was planned all along -- by them. It works in their favor in the PR strategy.

Cool. You should at least acknowledge that I am not guilty of what you accused me of.

I never once advocated for the destruction of books.

And you know it.

Repeat the charge, and provide evidence, or withdraw it.

 

OWS could shut down Wall Street if it had support. Are tens of thousands marching? I don't see how the NYPD could keep a crowd of 10,000 or so away from Wall Street.

 

Time, place and manner?

 

Fine. You celebrated the destruction of books. I suppose there's a semantic difference.

 

I mocked the reaction to the "destruction of books".

Semantic or not, defined as you choose, it's still a massive distinction.