Protest in front of the Mexican Consulate for the shooting of Brad Will in Oaxaca, Mexico

This morning started with a protest in front of the Mexican Consulate 27 East 39th Street to call attention to a local NYC journalist, Brad Will who was shot to death by a paramilitary group in Oaxaca, Mexico.

The press release:
“For Immediate Release

October 29, 2006, 12:45 p.m.

PROTEST AT NYC MEXICAN CONSULATE CALLED FOR MONDAY, OCT. 30, 9 A.M.

NEW YORK – Friends of Brad Will, the U.S. journalist/cameraman who was shot and killed on Friday by paramilitaries in Oaxaca, Mexico have called a protest rally for Monday, Oct. 30, at 9.a.m. at the Mexican Consulate in Manhattan, 27 East 39th Street. The protest will call attention to demands that the Mexican troops and police surrounding the city of Oaxaca be withdrawn along with the government-backed paramilitaries.

“Brad’s death was caused by the violent atmosphere created by the army and the paramilitary thugs – not by the popular movement that liberated the state from a corrupt and repressive government,” said Brooke Lehman, a New York City activist and friend of Will. “People in the U.S. as well as Mexico have to send a loud and clear message that we won’t tolerate this.”

For latest news about the situation in Oaxaca, please visit the NYC Indymedia Center at: http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/index.html

There was some mystery as to whether the girl was credentialed and what led the NYPD to arrest her and seize her cameras. Its not common for police anywhere to do that – of course in places like Iraq and Equitorial Guinnea, the police just shoot the press. In the photos, she has two lanyards around her neck but neither had anything hanging form them … one had a splinter of ripped plastic. No one around me knew her name or what happened.

What I saw of the protest was what one would expect. Most of the protesters/gathered/spectators were calm and respectful and some of the cops actually were professional (completely unlike the irresponsible, overly aggresive, and wasteful abuse of power they display during the Manhattan Critical Mass). Of course some fo the cops pushed and shoved people – one asshole grabbed my jacket to tell me to move away from where another vop just told me to stand

Nothing new.

Of course a few of them don’t seem to realize they’re in public … with the press watchng them.

I couldn’t stick around very long, I had to work a little (if I could make money fom this blog or writing and/or photography I would be able to stay at rallies and protests all day). As I was leaving, the NYPD was in the processes of moving their dilapitated blue barricades around, moving the gathered with them. The press still had their small pen still also. In one way, I was able to move more not having credentials since I was confined to a blue box (I’m not sure if that’s legal anyway). However, one cop actually told me to get in the pen with the rest of the press while I was shooting, and another one told me to stay where I was while another sort of shoved everyone around.

Halloween Critical Mass

This is edited from the orginal post. I added content and removed some.

The rain started shortly before the Critical Mass got underway but it didn’t hinder the riders from gathering and pedaling in costume. I was splintered away from the stragglers of the splinter group where I found myself. I stopped to take photos of the NYPD scooter squad riding the wrong way down a one way street and then through a red light … I must have stopped too long because the other Massers whith whom I found myself seemed to have faded into the rainy night.

As I was looking for the rest of the Critical Mass, I figured I should head down second avenue, toward some NYPD I saw who parked their scooter in the Police Lane … I mean bike lane.
A cop facing me at red light intersection stopped me to harass me a little. They asked me to stand out of the street but I pointed to the scooter and said

“The bike lane is blocked, I would rather ride there”

The cop asked where my helmet and fromt light were. I told him that I forgot my light at home.

“just like that? you forgot it at home” He questioned as if to quell some back talk.

The cop, Officer Schneider, questioned further asking if there was a helmet law in New York. I replied that I didn’t know. I added that I knew lights were required an hour after sunset and were a good idea. He did the cop thing and asked there was a helmet law.
I said “although its a good idea I don’t think it’s a law – is it?” He neither confirmed nor denied the existence of the law.

“Yea … I know people can’t see me, I get lost in the headlights behind me, even with the reflective stuff on my jacket and bag” I replied, adding “and I know better about the helmet, I just don’t have one. I’m not arguing with you on either point”.

This is the second time in 2 weeks where I out-copped a cop and he “let me go” without a summons (for a non existant law).

The last one was on 7th ave when the cop decided I was going to go through a red light without stopping, although I was crawling along to make a left on red with the traffic and … well, the cop was in my way. He grapped me by my arm with both hands while I was moving to ask me if it was illegal to such a turn.

I told him flatly that I didn’t know and asked what the law was. He neither confirmed nor denied the existence of the law. After some back and forth, he gave me a lecture about protecting my safety (uh … by pulling me off of my bike in traffic while I was moving?) and saying he would have to call my parents to tell them he had to hose me off of the street because I HAD to make an “illegal” turn.

I was going at a slow walking pace looking toward the traffic and not even at the crosswalk yet – nevermind the actual intersection.

OK, so the NYPD has ESP now? Not really. I imagine its part of some sort of power trip thing and I imagine it works sometimes.

I kept riding downtown, right onto Houston Street where I decided to just head to the Times Up! space for the after party, which was gets getting going as I aarrived. There was a bountiful feast of food ranging from … well, it was loaded with chopped vegitables, cheese, baked goods, chips and other food stuff that escapes me at the moment. A DJ spun a mix of cheesy 80′s pop and some party rolling, ass-shaking music while the costumed Massers rolled in. Bikes were parked on the sidewalk in a semi-organized bike valet.

Rude Mechanical Orchestra got the place bouncing. Really, the floor was BOUNCING. I never thought a brass band (well, drums, too) could get a crowd going like that. They played some covers as well as what seemned to be original tunes.

It was good to see people – some names I remember and some I don’t. Tammy, Tracey, Rachel … Rich (wait, is it Rick?), Irena on her swanky black chopper and the people whose names I can’t remember like the guy who drives a burly cargo bike and pedicab. Possible a girl I only know by her Flickr account name: Blue Cinema.

The costumes were fantastic – both during the ride and the party. I was very impressed to see people riding bikes in some serious costumes.

Even though I ducked out at around 11:30 – ish I had a blast. I’m not always the most social but that didn’t mean it was a drag.

I was the guy editing photos on the laptop literlly in the corner as the party got started.