NYPD Uses Box-In Methods And Stop Permitted March The New York Police Department, enforcing a 19th Century law against hoods and masks stopped an permitted march that was trying to join the International ANSWER rally in New York City. Witnesses say 200 Police lined up, batons barred across their front and rushed the march, forcing them to back up into a wall of police behind them. Cornered, some protestors pushed back trying to defend their own space and some tried to leave. The police began a mass arrest. The cops proceeded to separate those wearing all black and all red, and make arrests. Some of those who tried to leave the area boxed in by police, instead of continue to march were pepper spray. Reporters from the Atlanta Indymedia Center say that the cops began to arrest those who stayed in march formation, who chanted "March! March!" The incident began to occur around the Plaza Hotel and 59th street, and at the fringes of the rally at the Waldorf Astoria. At the moment is is not clear if the march will continue, even though it is permitted. Many people are vowing to march in defiance of the police to the rally point, peacefully. The mass arrests are based the color of clothing and the choice of some to wear masks, bandanas or hoods. The uniform clothing is meant to both conceal identity to police provacatuers and to symbolize anonymous solidarity, free of race or personal indentity, with oppressed groups - such as the Zapatistas in Mexico - all over the world. From Seattle to Washington, DC the police have been known to use "divide and conquer" tactics to prevent permitted rallies from growing to their full potential, despite all legal permits for routes and rally points often having already been agreed upon by the city. IMC reporters, International ANSWER spokespersons, and radio broadcasters on WBAI report that permits were indeed obtained for this particular march Reports on the NYC Indymedia Center website also indicate that at least some cops have acted together to block their own badge numbers. Some question why cops can conceal their indentity, while protestors who choose to cannot. A 13 year old was arrested last night for taking photos of police arresting and beating other protestors, he was charged with burglary and released, according to the teen and his father this afternoon on WBAI [wbai.org]. http://machination.org/