3 24 07 ARTIST Protest West Broadway

On Saturday morning ten NYPD officers, most in plainclothes,
came to West Broadway specifically to harass artists. More than
20 artists who were selling their own original paintings and sculptures
were forced to take apart their displays. A number of artists
had police stationed at their stands for hours to make sure they didn't set back up.

The police were very frank about the cause: residents and stores in SoHo have been making
hundreds of complaints about artists. Illegal vendors were ignored. The police came there
specifically for artists. Lt. K expressed the following on seeing an entire block of West
Broadway cleansed of artists: "Now that's exactly the way we want to see it."

In other words, it's time for all street artists who sell in SoHo to wake up and smell the coffee.
Either stand up for your rights or give them up.

ARTIST members staged an impromptu protest for more than an hour. The only confiscation
occurred when NYPD officer stole my folding table and a pile of protest signs
while I was across the street helping another artist. I will be taking legal action in response to this
completely illegal theft of my property.

The Villager had a reporter there who personally witnessed the director of the Delorenzo gallery tell
an artist, they must not set up in front of their gallery, a location artists have used for more than 20 years
without incident. At the end of the video you will here a witness describe
exactly what the police on the scene told her was the reason for the crackdown.
The reporter also got to talk to Whoopie Goldberg, who just happened to walk by. Goldberg told the reporter,
"I live here and I have no problem with artists being here. This is terrible."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• SoHo
• artist
• art
• police
• NYPD
• Lederman
• vend
• vendor
• vending

[DESTROYREBUILDNY]

this is hilarious ; ) and educational. thx mr. lederman

[the430movie]

Hahahahahah! I hope that no protest signs got hurt..... I know what your going through.... I have a court case pending to get back highland and forest park....

[ybginsberg]

This police harassment is perhaps a new experience

for todays Street Artists.

All through Giuliani's term ( 93-01) this was an ordinary,business as usual, weekend in SoHo.

We sometimes jokingly likened ourselves to the mighty

skunk who doesn't run towards nor away from danger,

but instead holds it's ground and "stinks it up".

ARTIST POWER !

KM

[RobTFirefly]

Nicely done!