The occupiers of Lafayette Park kept quoting this Times Union story about how the state and city were planning to enforce the 11 p.m. curfew, but that time came and went and the news broadcasts went out and Albany police were not much in evidence. They'd done a couple of drive-bys, and for a while a cop car was parked with a fire truck across from City Hall, but they drove off at 11:15. I'd wandered around the edges of the park looking for cops, but found only a couple of state troopers. City cops were key, though, because while the state controls the adjacent Academy Park, Lafayette is city territory.
City Councilman Anton Konev said he thought the cops would let the demonstrators stay -- but didn't have inside information. Congressman Paul Tonko had dropped by earlier, Konev said. Councilwoman Barbara Smith also was there. A Fire Department officer, before driving off around 11:20, said he had no orders about a crackdown -- but that if there was one he'd get a call. I figured the cops weren't coming, and wandered away at 11:40 as the guy that Bee Balm Gal thinks has looks like John Belushi (and has his energy) had gotten a singalong going of "This Land Is Your Land." But as I drove down State Street just west of Eagle I passed by a couple of parked police pickups connected to horse carriers with horses in them, which seemed like an ominous sign.
Before that, at the event, I ran into a Rumi-quoting "socially conscious hip-hop artist," a former middle school principal from Brooklyn, and a guy I know who's a former Weatherman and current environmental lobbyist. When the latter said he wasn't planning to spend the night (about 25 tents had sprung up) I berated him as a capitalist running dog tool of the bourgeoisie, at which point he scurried off saying he had to attend to family and friends and had "things to do." Yet again, it is distressing to discover not everyone appreciates the charm of my abrasive raillery.
When my side airs their grievances, we're exercising our right to protest, free speech, & assembly. But when the other side airs their grievances, they're stoogist tools being manipulated by (insert the PAC of your choice).
The point being its easier to think its some grand conspiracy. God forbid its a crime to think these people (however they identify themselves) are able to think for themselves.
Posted by: Matthew | October 25, 2011 at 09:24 PM
Either that or the "captialist stooge" thought it better to walk away instead of punching you in the face (giving you the news story you wanted). Or he just felt it pointless to stoop to your level in &/or had better things to do w/ their time in spend in it engaged in grade school naming calling.
Posted by: Matthew | October 25, 2011 at 09:26 PM