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March 10, 2004 01:59PM EST [general.addtranslation] Download Article (PDF) [ insert language bar ]

1000 arrests a day at the RNC says D.A. Morgenthau

By above the line

Arresting and controlling activists means big money for the NYPD. Threats of mass arrests at the RNC is a good way to stuff their annual budget. If the NYPD gets their extra money for extra arrests then they'll have to make good on their quota.

Keywords: News, local, Police & Prisons,

GOP confab to spike arrests BY PETE BOWLES STAFF WRITER March 10, 2004 Arrests during the Republican National Convention could reach 1,000 a day - three times the city's normal volume, Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said yesterday. Testifying before the City Council's public safety committee at a preliminary hearing for the fiscal year 2005 budget, Morgenthau said the Police Department anticipates a significant increase in arrests in the weeks before and during the convention, which is scheduled for Aug. 30 to Sept. 2 at Madison Square Garden. Morgenthau said 12 arraignment courts will be operating during that period, instead of the normal four. "Because budget cuts forced us to curtail drastically our incoming classes of assistant district attorneys, we will be hard pressed to handle such dramatic increases," Morgenthau said. He said budget cuts imposed on his office in recent years had created a "tremendous strain" at a time of "ominous signs" that crime is beginning to rise in some parts of the city. NY Newsday article. -------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Re: 1000 arrests a day at the RNC says D.A. Morgenthau

Mar 10, 2004 04:42PM EST

MLK

FILL THE JAILS!!!

THEY CAN'T HOLD ALL OF US!

Re: 1000 arrests a day at the RNC says D.A. Morgenthau

Mar 10, 2004 05:31PM EST

No, but they CAN deport us, or rape us...
Can you see past your priviledge?????

fill the jails? Uh, no.

Mar 10, 2004 05:31PM EST

Volunteers of America

I've got a better plan. Don't ever let them arrest you if you haven't broken the law. Run away but don't go home. There's only so much they can do if we have numbers and determination.

I suspect they will arrest organizers in the weeks ahead of the convention. Do a bunch of intelligence work and try to decapitate the protests before they happen. That's what they did in Philly, but of course it didn't work.

Re: 1000 arrests a day at the RNC says D.A. Morgenthau

Mar 10, 2004 07:27PM EST

Dr. Hopenottobearrested

You can't fill the jails in NYC. What Morgenthau is threatening is that if you do get arrested, it could take days to process you. The proper response is to mobilize ahead of time so that every day they hold protesters is a public embarrassment. Don't wait for the mass arrests to schedule a jail solidarity protest. If they promise 1000 arrests, then promise them 10,000 people at 1 Police Plaza.

The Only Way of Winning...

Mar 11, 2004 01:25AM EST

Not a Cop

is not to play the game.

These so called "protests" really do not produce anything. Perhaps some immature, not so bright, testerone driven males (who are emotionally stuck at the age of 13) may see it as a sign of their power and potency, but most normal adults do not.

First there is the issue of being arrested. Is it worth the lost time, the cost of hiring an attorney, or even the embarrasment of getting or adding to a criminal record?

Second there is the matter of making a statement.
Chances are, Bush II will not be re-elected (re-selected) in 2004 and Kerry will be sitting in the White House next January. Is anything going to change by these actions? Extremely unlikely.

Third, from long expereince these actions lull one into thinking that one is actually making a difference by participating in them. Do they actually produce anything beyond loud noise.
Do they really? What is built? What stays? From sad expereince, I can safely say nothing comes out of them.

Its time to re-evualate ones stratagies and tell
Leslie Kagan to find honest employment.
For my

Losing is not a way of winning

Mar 11, 2004 01:04PM EST

sure

Why not just inject the best heroin we can find and never get out of bed and doze our lives away?

There is a direct connection between the right to assemble in mass and the right to free speech in civil life. These demonstrations are far from symbolic. They show in broad daylight what civil liberties the city, state, and federal government is willing to tolerate. They also demonstrate in broad daylight just how far the powers that be are willing to go to squash dissent.

Re: 1000 arrests a day at the RNC says D.A. Morgenthau

Mar 11, 2004 02:40PM EST

CNT

Sure lets all just stay home and let our beloved leaders decided for us what kind of government, country and world they want us to live in. First of all this is a Republic and in this so-called democracy we all have an obligation, a right to protest, DISSENT, that is our human right. If we allow Bush, or the cops to intimidate us, by threatening us with arrest then they have won. We might as well tear up the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. It is idiotic,reactionary and cowardly to stay home and do nothing.

Re: 1000 arrests a day at the RNC says D.A. Morgenthau

Mar 11, 2004 03:36PM EST

Clandestino

First of all, it's foolish to think the NYPD is not prepared for a mass-arrest situation. There are more than enough venues for them to assemble people while folks get processed; I remember at the WEF protests the NYPD had the Brooklyn Navy Yards set up for holding detainees. That's in addition to NY's sixth borough, Riker's Island.

I think it's pretty clear if the DA is talking about making that many mass arrests each day, the NYPD is planning on busting up convergence spaces as they did in Philly. The only answer is plan well and not fall into that trap. An ounce of prevention, in this situation, is worth a ton of cure.

Sham Democracy USA

Mar 11, 2004 04:02PM EST

Not A Cop

The US is neither a democracy or a republic, (consitutional, democractic, representative or otherwise). It is a well oiled oligarchical transnational corporate state. Bush/Kerry are merely political figureheads of the executive arm of that "State." Key decisions are not made by them, they are made by others elsewhere. They are no more "our leaders" than Saddam Hussein was our leader.

Staying home is a financial and time management decision. If I go there, I stand a good chance of getting arrested. That will cost me time, loose me pay, cost me money (hiring a lawyer) and put me in an unpleasant crowded dirty place, where I do not want to be.

It is doubtful anyone here will compensate
me for this, and seeing that my presence there will not make one iota of difference one way or the other, I choose to spend my time more productively closer to home. As to making ones views known, I think our views are quite well known. They just don't care.

Stay Well!

Re: 1000 arrests a day at the RNC says D.A. Morgenthau

Mar 11, 2004 04:46PM EST

CNT

I agree we do live in a well oiled oligarchical transnational corporate state and not a democracy. Bush/Kerry are merely political figureheads of their corporate executive bosses who run the State. You're right they don't care what we say or what we do, because most people in this country choose not to get involved and believe whatever their leaders tell them. That is why we do not live in a real democracy or a republic,(constitutional, Democratic, representative or otherwise), people just do not give a damn and that is why we need to be out there to voice our opinions, to show that we are all not cowed by Bush, the cops or their overlords.

Do what you think is best for you, but do not put down people as â€œimmature, not so bright, testosterone driven males (who are emotionally stuck at the age of 13) may see it as a sign of their power and potency, but most normal adults do not.â€ That is insulting to the vast majority of men and women who want real change and have not given up their ideals and rights.

Without Justice their will be no Peace

Re: 1000 arrests a day at the RNC says D.A. Morgenthau

Mar 20, 2005 01:45PM EST

Dru

FUCK THE POLICE