Thread: Violent Melee Disrupts May Day March near Astor Place NY

Violent Melee Disrupts May Day March near Astor Place

A violent melee that ended in at least one arrest, broke out during the May Day Immigration march...

By Antrim Caskey
May 2, 2007

A violent melee that ended in at least one arrest, broke out during the May Day Immigration march on Broadway, near Astor Place, "had nothing at all to do with a mask," said one New York City Police officer on the scene. Thousands of people rallied in Union Square Park for a May Day Immigration march yesterday in New York City. After the speakers concluded, the demonstrators attempted to leave from the southeast corner of Union Square. As NYPD attempted to contain the enthusiastic surge of immigrants, plainclothes officers rushed to the scene, yelling and motioning for the crowd to hold on. After several minutes, under a small semblance of control, the intersection at Broadway and 14th swelled with people and at first it seemed as though little could be done to control the crowd. Eventually, thousands filled the two right had lanes of Broadway, cheering, holding banners, signs and peacefully proceeded south, as NYPD urged pedestrians to stay to the right; one officer muttered, "you don't want to get hit by a car do ya?" At Broadway and 8th Street, an incident occurred between demonstrators and police: one NYPD officer on the scene told this reporter that a man, who was wearing a traditional Mexican wrestlers mask, hit an officer, which prompted his violent removal from the crowd. The crowd itself went ballistic. Angry cops and demonstrators collided in what can only be described as a mosh pit. Officers violently beat the crowd, pushed, grabbed and shoved. A supporter of the arrested man attempted to explain that the mask the man wore was a cultural item, from his country - it was not meant as a threat to the police. The same officer repeated that it had nothing to do with the mask and tried to console the man, told him not to worry, "they we're only going to give him a summons." More NYPD arrived on the scene. Some were dressed in riot gear. National Lawyers Guild Legal Observers were also on the scene.

http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2007/05/85754.html

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http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=N ... e&sid=2125

Did any of the MSM broadcast the violence?

Isn't this the one W. posted the video on ?

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ht=#345092

Yes Charles.

Consider the sorce of this article... Indy Media.

Dixie

yea, I couldn't get their link to work.