UFPJ has bungled this thing pretty much from the beginning, but it seems they are now on track. We should at least be happy that they are not urging people to go to West Side Highway, that they have heeded the calls from the rank and file who found that location absolutely unacceptable. At least they are no longer trying to sell that shit sandwhich to the people as some kind of triumph.

And BTW, I tried to give fuck u's comment a "negative one", but accidentally hit "positive one". My bad.

Well you knew this was coming.

I think UFPJ undermined their own legal position by accepting and then rejecting the West Streep location. If I were a judge, I'd ask the question of UFPJ "why is your expression any less free on West St. than in Central Park?" If the idea is to protest the RNC, since the RNC is being held in MSG, and since both sites are equally out of eye/earshot of MSG, from an expression stand point (as opposed to a logistical standpoint) what's the difference?

The city has an obligation to accomodate the protesters right to expression. It doesn't have an obligation to give them whatever they want, wherever they want, whenever they want it. This is especially so when the subject is a multi-hundred thousand person protest, with huge logistical, security, safety, and public order implications.

I think in court, the UFPJ is going to come off like a bunch of petulant childres who are throwing a tantrum because they didn't get everything they want.

The difference is that people might be passing out of heat exhaustion on West Side Highway, with no shade, no water, nowhere to sit down and take a breather after a long march. It is an inhospitable location, which is one of the main reasons nobody wants to go there.

I agree that they have seriously damaged their bargaining position and legal arguments after having accepted WS Highway in the first place, but my understanding was that they only accepted it on the condition that the city would at least provide water and portapotties, which the city has since refused to do. I don't know if that was in the actual agreement, and so it may not exactly hold up in court.

True, UFPJ should have never accepted the highway. But at least they are now working to secure CP. We'll see what happens. Regardless, I'll see you in the park.

You see Bloomberg is violating the legal rights of thousands upon thousands of legal residents of NY, NJ, Ct, etc. He is attempting to prevent freedom of peaceful assembly and speech from a public space. He is settibg the stage for a police riot. After which he and the city will be spending millions upon millions of dollars defending against and restituting all those who will be suing the city for the damages and injuries they will have incurred because of his illegal actions.

As a taxpayer I am outraged that my money is going to be wasted in such a frivilous manner. Not to mention the risk he takes of losing the 2012 Olympic Games because of his short sightedness and incompetence. So shut up Mike.

Putz!

Thanks for filing the suit gang! I know it's a pain in the butt to do it, but I am one person that is glad you are putting the effort in.

Without the controversy of the Central Park denial, this would have been another protest that came and went without anyone but the protesters caring.

However, with the battle over the park, the profile of the protest has be raised sigificantly.

Okay, to that guy who keeps posting ridiculous comments about Leslie Cagan and then giving himself three points, please stop. I don't know whether you are a troll, a cop, or just a fool, but you aren't fooling anyone.

good for UFPJ. i dont know what their intentions are, but after that catastrophic and authoritarian westside highway debacle, they are, as someone else put it, right on track.