Largest Convention Protest ... Ever

That's what the New York Times is saying:

In the largest demonstration ever at a political convention, people swarmed through the midtown area of Manhattan in a march organized by United for Peace and Justice, passing by Madison Square Garden, where this week's Republican National Convention starts on Monday. ... At the height of the march, it took more than an hour to move one block.

I can't believe that some reports are saying there were "tens of thousands" of people at the demonstration. There were tens of thousands of demonstrators like there are minutes in a day.

I started out at the "Not In Our Name" pre-march rally at Union Square. Good music, and speakers included F. Murray Abraham (who woulda thunk it?) and Saul Williams. The entire square was filled (but not crammed) with demonstrators - and that was just one of numerous feeder marches into the United for Peace and Justice event, which started at noon. When we left the square to head north, to the main march, gridlock ensued pretty quickly. On 7th Avenue near 14th Street, the crowd was averaging about a block an hour, because there were SO MANY PEOPLE! Even with the sun beating down on us, people maintained a good sense of humor. I heard one person advise a neighbor, "Better make the most of it. Who knows whether we'll ever get the chance to hang out in the middle of 7th Avenue again?"

There were radical cheerleaders, a really good marching band, several Lady Liberties (one blue stiltwalker and several pink versions), a one-person hip-hop band (via his bullhorn), a dancing Lion and Lamb exhorting Bush to re-read his Bible, a procession of 1000 flag-draped coffins, great homemade signs and shirts and lots of other fun and imaginative things my sun-addled brain can't remember right now. One choice moment is when I was interviewing the Lady Liberty stiltwalker and in the middle of the interview, a police officer came over to tell her to move from where she was sitting. Liberty, begone!

Nearly everyone I asked said they were demonstrating out of a sense of duty - a deeply-felt need to do something, anything to help change the direction the country's going in. Many people said the Iraq war was the issue most concerning them, though several said they were alarmed at pretty much everything the Bush administration has done. In contrast to the DNC2RNC folks, who feel neither major party has any legitimacy, many of today's demonstrators sported pro-Kerry signs and T-shirts (in addition to "Anybody But Bush" signs and shirts) and talked about the importance of voting Bush out of office.

Not many people were arrested at today's UfPJ rally, but over 260 bicyclers were arrested at Friday's Critical Mass (not sure if they're still in detention), and there were reports of more mass arrests today at Times Square, where some demonstrators were taunting / hassling RNC delegates going out on the town. I talked to some legal observers who thought the day had gone very well, but expressed concern for what might happen later this week, when smaller demonstrations, mostly non-permitted and many including nonviolent direct action, are planned.

After the UfPJ march, thousands of people headed to the Central Park's Great Lawn. UfPJ had tried for over a year to get a rally permit for the Lawn, but was denied because the city didn't want the grass trampled. Throughout the day, rally speakers and marchers slammed the city's decision, saying free speech is more important than manicured lawns. The phrase "See you in the Park!" became a subversive invitation to reclaim freedom of speech and assembly. It was kind of funny, then, when I arrived at the Lawn to see demonstrators stretched out in the shade, chatting and selling T-shirts and buttons - more like a picnic than the rabble-rousing I had been expecting.

Most of the people I talked to were from out of town, but lots of people who lived along the march route had draped peace flags, anti-Bush signs and other anti-RNC stuff out their windows. On the subway ride home, an older man asked a woman with an anti-Bush sign across the aisle from me if she had been involved with the protests. Yes, she said, she had come from Vermont for the protests. Well, I've been busy with other things, he said, but I'm really glad the protests are happening.

Support for the demonstrations has been evident all over town this week, which - along with the near-continuous, imaginative events - has really given the city a festival-like atmosphere. Going into the RNC itself tomorrow will be an interesting change of pace!

Diane