For those headed to New York to protest...

[Headache in a Suitcase]

... I have some requests...

keep it safe and peaceful...

don't get the cops a hard time, they have enough things to worry about as it is...

be respectful of people just trying to go about their day... madison square garden, where the RNC is taking place, is right about penn station, which along with grand central is the biggest transportation hub in all of new york. anyone comming in by commuter train from Long Island or New Jersey goes into Penn, not to mention Amtrak and the 1-2-3 subway line. so if the cops ask you to stay away from the area around the garden, it's not because they're capitalist republican pigs... it's because a massive protest around the garden would be a logistical nightmare for anyone just trying to go to work, or just trying to go home.


i would imagine the same requests could be made of the DNC in boston, but for some reason i'm not expecting the same level of protests there...

 

[ILuvLarryMullen]

yes, stay peaceful, doing otherwise really hurts your cause.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

New York Newsday
Every train headed for Penn Station during this summer's four-day GOP convention will be searched by cops and bomb-sniffing dogs, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly announced Wednesday -- an unprecedented plan likely to create a nightmare for millions of passengers on seven subway lines, two commuter trains and Amtrak.

Inconvenience aside, sources familiar with convention security plans say, Kelly believes it is the best way to prevent a terrorist attack.

"It's our goal to check every train, physically, with dogs and with police officers before it comes into Penn Station," Kelly said. "I think we're going to be well prepared."

About 500,000 passengers get on and off trains in Penn Station every day, riding the 1,9,2,3 or A,C,E subway lines; the LIRR or NJ Transit. Thousands more pass through on their way to other destinations.

Those assigned to search the trains in the initiative known as Train Order Maintenance Sweeps will be responsible for checking every car on every train.

Further logistics of the plan, such as where the trains will be checked along their routes, need to be finalized, sources said.

"The nitty-gritty has to be worked out," according to one source familiar with the security planning for the convention.

The source and others said it's conceivable certain subway stops could be skipped, as some were during Yankee ticker tape parades, or service disruptions could be more severe at key moments in the convention, such as when President George W. Bush addresses the crowd.

Kelly, speaking at an early morning forum at Baruch College, also stressed that there is no plan to close Penn Station, as some newspaper reports have suggested, although the decision lies ultimately with the Secret Service.

"It's never been discussed," Kelly said.

In Boston, where the Democratic Convention is being held July 26 to 29 in the FleetCenter, commuter trains will stop short of the nearby North Station, forcing 25,000 people a day to ride buses or subways into that city.

The Republican convention is to be held at Madison Square Garden, which sits atop Penn Station, from Aug. 30 through Sept. 2. It is considered a event terrorists would like to target.

With that in mind, the Police Department is in the midst of wide-ranging training against chemical, biological and radiological attacks. Upward of 10,000 cops -- more than a quarter of the force -- are expected to be assigned to the convention, sources say.

In addition to protecting dignitaries and politicians from across the country, the police must deal with protesters who could number as many as 250,000, by some predictions.

Peter Kalikow, chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, appeared to support the train-search plan.

"I'll leave it to the professionals, and they'll do what's necessary," he said. "Whatever is necessary to maintain security, we'll do."

MTA spokesman Tom Kelly said the police commissioner's announcement -- the timing of which surprised some observers because it occurred at a rather low-key event -- was something that had been talked about in recent weeks.

"We have ongoing discussions with the cops virtually every day," Tom Kelly said. "Any number of different scenarios are discussed, played out.

"This is not a surprise to us."

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, as he often does, that he leaves security issues to Kelly.

"Police Commissioner is the one that I look to to come up with a security plan to protect this city," Bloomberg said at a store opening in Brooklyn. "Commissioner Kelly has worked very hard coming up with the kinds of plans that we are going to use to protect this city."

 

[verte76]

Yes, be peaceful and nice or you'll make protesters all over look bad. The cops have the toughest jobs in town and are just going to be doing their jobs.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

if you really want to protest, do it by voting bush out of office in november... come if you must, but it's already setting up to be a logistical nightmare... the nypd is going to be stretched to it's limits as it is dealing with security for both the convention and the US Open, not to mention the every day security of a city that's been on "orange alert" every day since 9/11. it's gonna be an interesting time, to say the least.

 

[verte76]

I do plan to protest by voting for Kerry in November. Protesting in that August heat? I don't think so.

 

[nbcrusader]

Peace and Safety don't head the agenda

G.O.P. Protesters Plan to Infiltrate Convention as Volunteers

Hard feelings or not, the city host committee is going ahead with its recruiting efforts. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg called last week on a predecessor, Edward I. Koch, to help recruit volunteers. But officials said they never considered the prospect that the effort might be co-opted by protesters.

"Those sort of things would harm the city," Mr. Sheekey said. "Those wouldn't be anti-R.N.C. protests. Those would be people protesting New York City."

 

[BVS]

"Protesting New York City"?! I love how some will always twist something into an association of guilt either by calling someone unpatriotic, supporting the enemy, or protesting the city you love.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

"Protesting New York City"?! I love how some will always twist something into an association of guilt either by calling someone unpatriotic, supporting the enemy, or protesting the city you love.

sllllow down... he wasn't talking about people who were going to protest in the streets. he was talking about those who would try to get in as volunteers in order to get on the inside, and THEN protest... and that would be bad for the city. being the logistical nightmare that this whole thing is already setting up to be, volunteers are going to be a vital part of the entire operation. these volunteers aren't just for the convention... they're to be placed throughout the city, aiding with the tourism side of what 500,000+ dignitaries, republicans, protesters, etc. will be bringing to the city... so if a group of these protesters lies and fakes their way into the volunteer process, only to then have a sit down strike or whatever the heck they plan on doing, yes... it will be harmful to the city, and potentialy a very dangerous situation.

and i love this quote...

"The Republicans are coming to New York City, so maybe the real New York should come to them."

so i guess the people who voted a republican mayor into office for each of the last 3 elections weren't "real new yorkers." please...

 

[verte76]

The idiots! It's an intolerable state of affairs if protesters don't even know how to protest. Protesting New York City? Grrrrr....

 

[BVS]

sllllow down... he wasn't talking about people who were going to protest in the streets. he was talking about those who would try to get in as volunteers in order to get on the inside, and THEN protest... and that would be bad for the city. being the logistical nightmare that this whole thing is already setting up to be, volunteers are going to be a vital part of the entire operation. these volunteers aren't just for the convention... they're to be placed throughout the city, aiding with the tourism side of what 500,000+ dignitaries, republicans, protesters, etc. will be bringing to the city... so if a group of these protesters lies and fakes their way into the volunteer process, only to then have a sit down strike or whatever the heck they plan on doing, yes... it will be harmful to the city, and potentialy a very dangerous situation.

Ok, I can understand that to a point. I didn't realize the volunteers took such a part outside the convention, I thought they would just be there inside the actual convention.

Whereas I understand the concern I do recognize a certain brilliance to the idea. I don't know how the volunteer process works, but for them to get that many "undercover" volunteers in, are they having problems getting enough people who want to be legitimate volunteers?

 

[Diane L]

I have to go into Manhattan due to my freelance writing sometimes, and I plan to talk to my art director about the convention soon. I'd like to see us tweak the schedule so neither of us has to be in Manhattan that week. I travel in via Penn Station, and I know it will be a nightmare.

As for volunteers misbehaving...who would do a thing like that?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

yes, volunteers will be doing much more than just handing out pamphlets inside the garden...

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced that former Mayor Edward I. Koch will be the Chairman of a volunteer drive for the 2004 Republican National Convention. The Convention will be held in New York City from Monday, August 30th to Thursday, September 2nd. The volunteer drive is centered around an ad campaign which includes print ads with the tag line ?Be a part of it? featuring former Mayor Koch and a Web site, www.nyc2004.org, where New Yorkers have to apply to volunteer. Joining Mayor Bloomberg at the announcement were former Mayor Koch, Convention Manager and CEO Bill Harris, Monster.com Founder Jeff Taylor.

?Hosting the Republican National Convention is good for New York City,? Mayor Bloomberg said. ?In late August, 50,000 delegates, officials, convention participants, and members of the media will gather in New York City to be a part of history. The economic benefit will give a tremendous shot in the arm, providing work to thousands of New Yorkers during what is often a summer slowdown. We will also be the center of the nation's attention and New York will be able to show the world how far we have come in such a short period of time.?

The Host Committee expects 8,000 volunteers will be needed during the 16-day period from August 18th to September 3rd. The volunteers will work at welcome desks at all three regional airports and around-the-clock at the hotels where delegates and convention visitors will be staying. They will also serve as guides and monitors at the city?s transportation hubs. Even before today?s launch, the Host Committee has already signed up 2,500 volunteers from more than 400 political, educational, non-profit, corporate and civic organizations from around the region. All volunteers will be invited to an orientation seminar and training sessions.

?You don?t have to be a Democrat to love New York,? former Mayor Koch said. ?Hosting the Republican National Convention will reinforce for the world that among the many things New Yorkers do well is to pull together ? New Yorkers have always banded together to lend a hand. And we will do just that to make the Republican National Convention a resounding success.?

?With the help of volunteers, the 2004 Convention will be a truly unique event - one like never before. Volunteer?s commitment and tireless hard work during the week of the Convention will prove to be a success for the City of New York,? said Convention CEO Bill Harris.

?The hard working men and women of the labor movement will greatly benefit by the many new jobs created by our city hosting this summer's Republican National Convention,? said Central Labor Council President McLaughlin. ?At the 1996 Democratic Convention in Chicago, 4,200 new jobs were created, and the 2000 Republican Convention in Philadelphia created 4,777 jobs. It is our hope that we will beat those numbers with over five thousand new construction, building trades, hotel, restaurant, entertainment and transportation jobs.?

?Monster Worldwide is proud to call New York its home and delighted to join Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Pataki in their efforts to recruit the more than 8,000 volunteers needed to make this convention a resounding success for the City of New York,? said Jeff Taylor, founder and chief Monster. ?As a company dedicated to bringing people together, we look forward to contributing all the technologies at our disposal to better inform and connect all the volunteers, and help make the convention one of the most rewarding and memorable experiences of their lives.?

Ads urging volunteers to apply for the convention will appear at no cost beginning tomorrow in a number of our city?s newspapers. The ads have been developed on a pro bono basis by Grey Advertising and placed with the help of Howard Rubenstein and his firm, Rubenstein Associates. Street pole banners like the ones along Broadway outside City Hall have been produced and posted by Titan Outdoor at no cost to the Host Committee. Clear Channel Communications will also display an animation spot they created on a number of their electronic billboards on their Street TV Network in the city. The donated print ads urging New Yorkers to volunteer during the convention will appear beginning on April 22nd in the New York Times, New York Daily News, New York Post, New York Observer and Crain?s New York Business.

The Host Committee?s strategic partner, Monster.com, developed the web application that allows volunteers to signup through the Web site. Prospective volunteers will have to apply online through www.nyc2004.org using technology that is easy to navigate and compliant with the Federal privacy and accessibility standards.

it is a brilliant idea, technicaly speaking... but now that the idea is exposed, i would really wish that they cancelled their plans. they still expect to get the amount of volunteers they need, but it's obvious to see how boston's volunteer ranks would fill up much faster, being a huge college town and all.

 

[MrBrau1]

My buddy is a detective in NYC. They're planning way to deal w/ the protesters. They also are on the look out for "plants." These would be people w/ GOP motives who WILL instigate things within protests to make the Dems/protesters look bad. Funny eh?

 

[Soul Always]

Why does there even have to be protests? They're the unpeaceful people!

 

[BVS]

Why does there even have to be protests? They're the unpeaceful people!

So people shouldn't speak up and voice they're opinions? What's unpeaceful about that.

What if MLK never protested? Or if the women sat back and never asked for the right to vote? Or if Jesus never confronted the Pharisees?

 

[nbcrusader]

Perhaps Soul Always is referring to the media coverage of protests, which tends to focus on the unruly and violent.

Kind of like Iraq - you only see the bad stuff....

 

[Soul Always]

Perhaps Soul Always is referring to the media coverage of protests, which tends to focus on the unruly and violent.

Kind of like Iraq - you only see the bad stuff....

Perhaps so. The media doesn't give them a good reputation at all.

 

[BVS]

Perhaps Soul Always is referring to the media coverage of protests, which tends to focus on the unruly and violent.

Kind of like Iraq - you only see the bad stuff....

True, peace doesn't make good headlines. Yet we all say we seek it.

 

[verte76]

Perhaps Soul Always is referring to the media coverage of protests, which tends to focus on the unruly and violent.

Kind of like Iraq - you only see the bad stuff....

Yeah, media coverage of protests tends to stink. I guess it's too boring just to show the people at the protests listening to the speeches, just holding our signs and minding our own business. They want to show the ones who hassle the cops, etc, etc. It's unfortunate.

 

[pax]

PLEASE. Post links and brief excerpts. NOT giant blocks of text.

Thank you.