By Nathaniel Miller
SEACers joined hundreds of thousands of protestors in the streets of New York City last month to give a big “f*** you” to the Republican Party and their radical right-wing agenda. Months of organizing culminated in a weeklong festival of resistance featuring marches, rallies, bike-rides, street theatre, blockading streets, harassing delegates, and countless decentralized and subversive actions. Even thousands of regular New Yorkers paused in their hectic days to yell at delegates or cheer us on. As expected, there was a violent and enormous police response to protect the ruling class, and over 1800 people were arrested throughout the week, most being detained in the notorious Pier 57 where they were kept in metal cages with barbed wire on top.
The week started with the arrival of the DNC to RNC march, which began in Boston following the Democratic National Convention, and arrived in Manhattan on August 26. They had been marching for 258 miles and over a month to express their belief that "rather than representing the interests of the people, both Democrats and Republicans choose to build systems of violent exploitation."
The following day there was a massive Critical Mass Bike Ride, with over 5000 bikers riding around Manhattan on a Friday night almost completely shutting the place down for two hours! It was a festive occasion, replete with blowing whistles, raucous cheering, etc. New Yorkers were mostly very supportive and enthusiastic, many coming into the street and giving us high fives as bikers rode by-- sort of like a radical Tour de France. As bikers rode down Broadway through Times Square and all one could see were bikes! The ride went past Madison Square Garden, which was being rapidly fortified for the upcoming convention, where the police blocked the streets with orange nets, beating and arresting many bikers. More were arrested when the Critical Mass bottlenecked outside St. Marks Church, where an after-party had been planned.
August 28th was dominated by the “Books Not Bomb’s Youth Convergence” organized by the National Youth and Student Peace Coalition of which SEAC is a member. Over 500 young people gathered to build the youth movement for peace, justice, and education, with workshops on the criminalization of youth, the situation on the ground in Iraq, youth in the labor movement, and the impact of the Patriot Act. That afternoon there was a rally at the Starbucks being organized by the Industrial Workers of the World at 36th and Madison Avenue. Approximately 150 people rallied to demand an end to Starbuck’s union-busting and poverty wages. The police moved quickly and arrested the two Starbuck’s employees that are responsible for the organizing drive, and then ordered the crowd to disperse.
One August 29th close to half a million people, under the auspices of United for Peace and Justice, marched and rallied outside Madison Square Garden to say “hell no” to Bush and company’s agenda. Later that evening thousands created “Chaos on Broadway,” harassing GOP delegates as they spent their evenings attending Broadway shows. It really was a night on the town!
The “Still We Rise” March and the Poor Peoples’ Economic Human Rights Campaign’s march dominated the activities on Monday August 30th. More than 52 New York City community-based organizations led by people of color and poor people marched on Madison Square Garden under the Still We Rise banner. Later that evening PPEHRC led an unpermitted march from the United Nations towards Madison Square Garden. Unfortunately once this march neared MSG the police surrounded the marchers with metal barricades and then rode motorcycles and horses through the crowd arresting people, seemingly at random.
Tuesday August 31, or “A31” was a day of autonomous direct action. It was also a day of police repression. Throughout New York small and large groups of people met and carried out actions they had been planning in the weeks and months leading up to the RNC. They stopped traffic, performed street theater and crashed parties, tying up and slowing down the lackeys of Empire.
In the morning several hundred people rallied to highlight the issues that many immigrants have been facing since September 11, 20001: racial profiling, unjust detentions and deportations of immigrants by the BICE (formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service). The rally also celebrated the life of Farouk Abdul-Muhti, a Palestinian immigrant activist who died last month in Philadelphia after giving an impassioned speech about the plight of detainees. Between 3:00 and 4:00 in the afternoon major actions seemed to simultaneously erupt across the city including a “die-in” that blocked traffic for over an hour, a “shut-up-a-thon” against the infamously slanted Fox News, a “Men in Black Bloc” intervention to defend the legacy of Johnny Cash from rich Republicans who were purchasing his memorabilia, a banner drop from the New York Public Library, a blockade of RNC delegate busses, infiltration of RNC-related buildings, and much more.
Other than a large labor march the following day, most of the rest of the time the RNC was in town people carried out small, and sometimes spontaneous actions to hassle and obstruct the delegates that were in town to do their master’s bidding. Some people infiltrated parties, and even the convention itself, while others simply made life a little bit more uncomfortable for Republican delegates. Most delegates left town knowing that the RNC was definitely not welcome in the Big Apple.
Overall the protests against the Republican National Convention were successful. While we were not able to shut down the convention, this would have been nearly impossible given the state of “Fortress New York.” But we were able to bring our message to the streets, and while the media wasn’t watching, New Yorkers were. Although the ruling class and their minions can hide behind their fences and police thugs, “we are everywhere,” and they can’t hide forever. But many did not leave New York unscathed. Over 1800 people were arrested and many are still facing numerous criminal charges. Support, both moral and material is still needed. People that are interested in helping to support the RNC arrestees should contact the National Lawyers Guild (http://nycplc.mahost.org).
Nathaniel Miller volunteers at the SEAC National Office in Philadelphia and was involved in organizing with other Philadelphians for the RNC. Much of this article was culled from New York City IndyMedia and those interested in learning more should go to http://nyc.indymedia.org
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