"With Nov. 27 coming, this is what you'll get when you email City Council Speaker Christine Quinn on the revised NYPD Parade Permits. We're being bunched in with pedestrians, motor vehicles and animals gathering in groups:

""Thank you for writing to me to share your views on the New York Police Department’s (NYPD) proposed regulations defining when and under what circumstances individuals and groups must apply for parade permits.

As you may know, in July of this year, the NYPD proposed a number of changes to the city’s parade permit rules that would have required pedestrians and cyclists to obtain parade permits for many activities that currently do not require such permits. I have tremendous respect for the NYPD and the lengths to which the Department goes to ensure that the city is safe. However, I found the proposed regulations to raise serious legal and practical issues. In particular, I thought the proposed rules were overly broad, difficult to put into practice, and would unnecessarily restrict free _expression. I was pleased that, after hearing my concerns, the NYPD agreed to withdraw its proposed rules and to reconsider its proposal.

After an extensive review, the NYPD issued a new proposal on October 18, 2006. The proposed rule would require permits for the following groups:

? A group of ten or more pedestrians, vehicles, bicycles or other devices moved by human power, or ridden or herded animals proceeding together upon any public street or roadway for more than two city blocks in a manner that does not comply with applicable traffic laws, rules and regulations; or

? A recognizable group of 30 or more vehicles, bicycles or other devices moved by human power, or ridden or herded animals proceeding together upon any public street or roadway.

The NYPD's newly proposed regulations for when and what activities will require parade permits are a substantial improvement over the regulations proposed earlier this year. Recognizing that it is difficult to balance the protection of civil liberties with the need for public order, I believe that the newly proposed rules have struck a better balance than those rules proposed by the NYPD in July. However, I hope that the NYPD will carefully consider all the comments that they receive during this public comment period, and be open to suggestions from you and other concerned individuals and groups of ways to better balance the competing interests at stake.

I have enclosed for you a notice of opportunity to comment on this proposed rule. I would encourage you to share your views directly with the NYPD, and, if you are interested, to testify at the hearing on November 27, 2006. We support your efforts to encourage bicycles and other human-powered vehicles (HPV) as alternatives to vehicular transportation.

Thank you again for sharing your views with me. I look forward to working with you in the future to ensure that the city is as HPV friendly as possible.""

Sincerely,

Christine C. Quinn

Speaker

New York City Council

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