Saturday, April 28, 2007

WAR Marches on Park Avenue Again

Demo #1 - Derryck Maughan, GlaxoSmithKline Director

After a full day of educational outreach at the I-M-P-E-A-C-H Festival held in Central Park, activists headed across the park to the eastside, where they started the evening at the home of GlaxoSmithKline Director, Derryck Maughan. Police must not have had anything to do that day as they were there in force. Several cars and high-ranking officers including the Lieutenant that heads up the precinct and the head of NYPD Legal. Police outnumbered protesters three to one.

One would imagine that with such a strong police presence the morons that are the doormen of Maughan’s building would have refrained from repeatedly breaking the law by setting off multiple car alarms whenever protesters started to chant. I guess they never stopped to think that the car alarms are more annoying than a small group of vocal activists. We did our best to act upset and indignant at the noise, when in truth we couldn’t be more pleased. They have no idea how many of their neighbors stopped by to say that the doormen were being rude and were upsetting the peace.

Police were repeatedly asked to intercede to stop the multiple alarms but ignored local noise ordinance and turned a blind eye to the law breaking by the doormen. This was totally expected as we have been threatened with physical assault and weapons at this location by the same doormen and the police did nothing to protect protesters.

Demo #2 - John Thain, Chief Executive Officer - New York Stock Exchange

Just a short distance from Derryck, we were at the super exclusive high rise of NYSE CEO John Thain. Having followed all of the court dictated restraints; we began a spirited demo, which included several activists chanting. 30 minutes into our hour long protest, Danny Albano, head of the NYPD Legal Department waddled up to protesters and demanded that the chanting stop. He insisted that if the demo wasn’t stopped that he would arrest WAR activist Camille Hankins.

Hankins asked why the demo was being stopped when they still had time left on their legal notification and Albano was unable to give a reason, simply insisting that the demonstrators move on. Despite the fact that demonstrators asserted their first amendment rights to continue the protest, the threat of arrest had a chilling effect. Even though no laws were being broken, Albano reminded the group that he had ordered Hankins to be arrested in the past and that he would do so again now. Although Hankins has been arrested 3 times at the home of Andrew Baker, HLS – CEO, not once has the NYPD gotten a conviction in court. All three cases were dismissed by the court.

Despite the heavy handed tactics of the police, demonstrators were able to reach many neighbors and Park Avenue walkers who expressed sympathy and support for the cause. Many of John’s neighbors suggested that we come back on a weekday in the early morning or during the evening when John was most likely to be home.

Demo #3 - James Robinson III, Chairman of the Board, Bristol-Myers Squibb

Activists walked one more block on ritzy Park Avenue to the home of James Robinson, Chairman of Bristol-Myers Squibb. Apparently Albano was not concerned with Mr. Robinson’s neighbors being disturbed by the demonstrators as he did not intervene in this demonstration. Interesting how demos are stopped in front of one person’s building but not another. Highly reminiscent of how when demonstrators protest furrier Dennis Basso, they are harassed and stopped by the NYPS, while just one block further up Madison Avenue and furriers there don’t get the same level of “protection”. Makes one wonder whether money or favors are changing hands? Clearly all New Yorkers are not treated equally.

A lively spirited protest was held and lots of literature detailing the relationship between Bristol-Myers Squibb and the puppy killing scum from Huntingdon Life Sciences was distributed. We will never back down, until they stop the killing.