"Under the New York City Police Department’s proposed parade permit rules:

• Any group of two (yes, 2) or more cyclists or pedestrians traveling down a public street, who violate any traffic law, rule, or regulation can be arrested for parading without a permit;

• Every group of 20 or more cyclists must obtain a permit from the NYPD;

• Every group of 35 of more pedestrians must obtain a permit from the NYPD. This rule also introduces a new requirement for on-foot protests and processions that will adversely impact innumerable organizations.

Groups and activities to be affected
• Historical, cultural, environmental & neighborhood walks/tours
• Sightseeing tours
• Informal and organized group bike rides
• Training runs
• School field trips
• Walks to the park
• Spontaneous outbursts
• Family picnics
• Unions and political groups
• Funerals
• You name it, sweetheart. This is your Bill of Rights on drugs.

These rules:
• Will put all bike rides under the discretion of the NYPD
• Could be used to stop anyone in New York City from walking and biking
• Will give the New York City Police Department carte blanche to arrest any two or more persons that they want
• Will subject jaywalker, if accompanied by another person, to possible arrest
• Will be enforced at the discretion of the police.

Here’s what you can do:
1) Contact Mayor Bloomberg and City Council members to voice your opposition;
2) Tell everyone you know;
3) Write letters to the editor;
4) Attend a People's Forum Thurs., August 17, 7 pm, St. Marks Church, 10th St/ 2nd Ave.;
5) Testify at the public hearing Aug. 23 or
6) Send a letter to be included in the transcript;
7) Attend a rally/press conference/demonstration to be held simultaneously with the NYPD hearing Aug. 23.


-----------------------------

The NYPD DOES have authority to change administrative rules, according to the legal experts at FreeWheels. And the law will go into effect August 24. The hearing on the 23rd is a formality; they NYPD isn't obliged to act on anything anyone says. But we need to get our voices into the public record.

So as of Aug. 24, the cops can selectively enforce the rule as they wish. Is there any doubt that the brass will use it to silence individuals or groups they don't like?

Once enacted, it will be incumbent on citizens (once someone gets arrested) to challenge the rule through the courts. Though the NYPD has been very unsuccessful in its legal fight against cyclists so far, there's no telling where this could go.

Even if civil rights win out in the long run, there go another few years and hundreds of thousands of dollars that could instead be going to build community organizations and bike infrastructure.

Our only hope at this point is to contact all of our elected representatives--even though the Council is not now in session (great timing, eh?). If the City Council and the Mayor all came out against the rule, there's a chance the NYPD would drop it. Otherwise, get ready for trouble.

If anyone wants to debate these issues, I ask that you start a new thread. Let's keep this one clear for legal updates and announcements. Thanks.



"

Here's a letter I wrote to my Council rep. Feel free to borrow, revise, or rewrite at will.


-----------------------------------

Dear [councilwoman's aide],

Attached is the NYPD's proposed rule change to the parade permit rule. I urge the Councilwoman to oppose the rule vigorously. It is intended to stifle freedom of speech and association--the bedrock of our society.

As a daily bike commuter and volunteer with the NYC Bicycle Coalition [your info here], I feel that the NYPD is specifically targeting bicyclists in this rule. This is a discriminatory and unconstitutional application of law.

Bicyclists are not the cause of the NYC transportation crisis of eternal gridlock, as Ray Kelly wrote in the Post today. We are an indispensable part of the solution of freeing our public streets for the dynamic movement of people and commerce.

Bicyclists need the protection of the NYPD, not harassment. We need safe space to ride and the enforcement of speeding and dooring laws to prevent injury and death. We are responsible, tax-paying--and sometimes courageously outspoken--citizens. Yet the NYPD continue to treat us as a less-than-equal class.

The NYTimes has run two articles on this issue in the last two days. The Post also has an inflammatory column by Steve Dunleavy calling for death to bicyclists. Yes, death. It's an outrage.

Please let me know if I can provide further information. I hope we can count on the Councilwoman's support.

Thank you.

Best regards,

Name
Address
Phone

---------------------------

My email included a pdf of the proposed rule change. TA will post it in the next few days. (I asked NYCC to do the same.)

You could also attach any of the press articles.


New York Times report:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/19/nyregion/19demo.html

Dunleavy screed:
http://www.nypost.com/commentary/take_back_the_streets_from_kamikaze_jer...

Ray Kelly editorial
http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/protests__the_nypd_oped...

Clyde Haberman column NYTimes Select 7/21/06

Do you have contacts at NY Road Runners, other fitness orgs, tour groups, or organizations that host historic, environmental, cultural or other neighborhood walking tours?

If you would like the NYC Bicycle Coalition to contact them regarding the parade permit issue, please let Noah Budnick at TA know: [email protected].

Or by all means contact them yourself! (and send Noah an email)

"6 pm, Wed., August 23
One Police Plaza

To attend the public hearing August 23, you must register. You can either do it at the door (arrive early) or in advance by mail. (Sample postcard text below.) Mail your request by August 16 to:

Assistant Deputy Commissioner Thomas P. Doepfner
NYPD
1 Police Plaza, Room 1406
NY, NY 10038

Try to arrive by 5:45 pm in order to get through security. The hearing will probably start right on time.

We need to pack the room with people. (Please go even if you don't want to testify!)

Speakers will have a time limit, probably 2-3 minutes. You might want to write down your statement beforehand and have copies to give to the public record and the press.

A group ride will gather beforehand and bike to One Police Plaza (details to come). There is lots of bike parking around the Municipal Building.

--------------------------------------

TEXT FOR POSTCARD:

Dear Assistant Deputy Commissioner Doepfner,

I intend to testify in opposition to NYPD's proposed changes to Chapter 19 of Title 38 of the Official Compilation of Rules of the City of New York at the public hearing on August 23, 2006, at One Police Plaza.

Sincerely,

Signature
Name
Address
City, State, Zip
"

I just left the little missive, below, for the mayor via his website.

Dear Mayor,

The proposed NYPD changes to parade permit regulations are ridiculous, unconstitutional, disgusting and unworthy of you. They allow the police to arrest virtually any group of people on the street (for 'parading without a permit') at will. They also stop legitimate groups of bicyclists (such as members of the New York Cycle Club or Five Borough Bicycle Club) from taking legitimate excursions.

I volunteer as a tour guide for an organization called Big Apple Greeter. Under these outrageous regulations, I and the tourists I guide around New York could be arrested for walking around without a parade permit.

Should visitors to New York be warned of this?

The police no doubt intend to enforce the lawe selectively, but that it reprehensible, too. You appoint the Police Commissioner and the NYPD reports to you. Therefore, you will be responsible if this new regulation is enforced.

Shame on you for allowing it to get even this far. Shame, Shame, Shame!

so this is how screwed up our 'democracy' has gotten- bicycle riders get ticketed by the authorities(for lack of a better word) for exercising their right to exercise in the morning in a public park, yet the former chief of new york's 'finest'(sic), now a felon, pleads guilty to accepting favors, pays a hefty fine and consults on matters of 'security'. it's a disgrace!

The NYC Bicycle Coalition is holding a phone bank this Wednesday, Aug. 2, to get the word out.

Can you suggest groups or individuals that we should call? If so, please send me an email. You don't have to give a phone number, though that would help.

Thanks!

Appalachian Mountain Club sponsors walks in the city--their members should want to end this nonsense. Ditto for Shorewalkers.

Can't wait until these regs hit a judge.