Republican National Convention
Peaceful protests mark the end of GOP convention

By Tina Moore, Tony Pugh and Stephanie Arnold
Knight Ridder Newspapers

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But after a week of huge and sometime raucous demonstrations, the crowds were scattered and peaceful.

Anti-war protesters in Union Square Park held a hushed candlelight vigil. A mass of protesters south of Madison Square Garden headed to the subways as Bush took to the podium. Near Macy's, just a few blocks from the hall, crowds of demonstrators who had been converging on police barricades quickly thinned as Bush spoke.

Earlier yesterday, a state judge ruled that hundreds of arrested protesters, some held since Tuesday night, had to be released before Bush's address. It was unclear how many of the approximately 470 detained activists had been released last night.

Overall, more than 1,800 protesters have been arrested, a record for a political convention. There were only 26 arrests yesterday. One New York police sergeant described the evening as "eerily quiet."

Shortly before Bush arrived at the convention hall about 9 p.m. EDT, police began cordoning off all blocks surrounding the hall, telling anyone without credentials to "turn around and keep walking." New Yorkers upset after a week of security measures muttered obscenities and yelled, "These are our streets, too," and "GOP go home."

New York Supreme Court Judge John Cataldo handed the demonstrators a victory yesterday when he ruled that the city must process and release protesters who remained in city lockup. The National Lawyers Guild had asked a judge to intervene after hearing complaints of lengthy delays processing detainees and poor conditions at detention facilities.

New York City Corporation Counsel Michael Cardoza said the delays were due to a surge in arrests, especially on Tuesday when 1,187 demonstrators were rounded up.

Civil-rights lawyers said the delays were unacceptable and Cataldo agreed. As they trickled out of a downtown detention facility late yesterday, protesters accused the police of trying to keep them from taking the streets again.

"I think it's pre-emptive detention. It's to keep us from getting out and doing more protesting," said New Yorker Mark Milano, 48, who added that he planned to do just that.

New York Police Department Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne called allegations that authorities were purposely holding demonstrators until after the president left "a deliberate misinformation campaign."

Browne also denied accusations of mistreatment at detention sites.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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