Report on Today's July 19th Protest Against the New NYC Park Rules

Excellent turnout today for the rally in Union Square Park against the new New York City Park Rules restricting artists' ability to show and sell art work in four major NYC public parks. As many as 200 people attended at the height of the protest, carrying placards, setting-up "Display Only" stands in the formerly legal spots in the parks plaza or selling via hilarious "No Stand" vending displays (imagine an  artist's take on a sandwich board and you'll get the picture).

The media were out in force: New York Times, Daily News, NY Post, NPR and various TV news crews. I personally had extended conversations at my "Display Only" stand with reporters from the Wall Street Journal, Metro and World Journal (a US-based Chinese language daily).

Here's some of the media coverage (Special thanks to Robert Lederman for assembling these links):

New York Times, July 19, 2010
Vendors Thumb Nose at City Restriction
By COLIN MOYNIHAN
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/vendors-thumb-nose-at-city-restriction/

NBC
Artists Protest New Limit on Vendor Spots in Parks
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/Artists-Protest-Limit-on-Park-Vendor-Spots-98766594.html

NY1
City Art Vendor Limits Take Effect
http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/122297/city-art-vendor-limits-take-effect

CBS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcmb68W-4Nc

NY Post
Gotta have art! Vendors protest new limits in city parks
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/gotta_have_art_cUZFEFAlaTDXX1eftvUSxL

NY Law Journal; lead article, cover. Also has judge’s entire ruling
http://www.scribd.com/doc/34585240/NY-Law-Journal-on-Injunction

DNAinfo
http://www.dnainfo.com/20100719/gramercy-flatiron-union-square/artists-protest-citys-new-vendor-restrictions-union-square-park

Videos of 7/19/2010 protest and sell-in Union Sq Park
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHT7iV5Pusk
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/029142a72eecedb9abc79efe29396af1/video/16468588
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/816ffebe09b5b80ae5ac8a5cc1a1be3f/video/16456222
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/816ffebe09b5b80ae5ac8a5cc1a1be3f/video/16456270
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/816ffebe09b5b80ae5ac8a5cc1a1be3f/video/16456154
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/816ffebe09b5b80ae5ac8a5cc1a1be3f/video/16456441
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/b5de1b1add9fad38785f18757449a163/video/16468500

Sorry I wasn't in Central Park! Last minute changes in strategy brought me, along with other artists, to Union Square for the main rally.