1) There has been a remarkable plethora of events, the CounterConvention site alone listed almost 300 "real" events, 150 events still to run (see http://www.counterconvention.org). The NYC protests have shown the rich depth of protest is visible and, IMHO, one sense that the potential for these jelling into a cohesive movement - at least for now.
2) The 'mid-size' mass protests have been surprisingly well attended. This includes the DNC2RNC march (3,000 marchers? mostly young, 'non-sectarian', very determined); pro-choice 25,000 strong (majority women, fairly diverse) and the bicycle protest (5,000 bicyclists, official estimates), and 5,000 (official estimates) showed up for the 'ring out the republicans' around the WTC organized by a group around 'Reverend Billy' (don't ask). Starting Monday, four more mid-size marches are planned.
[Of course for the media, todays mass march will determine the question of 'size'. It will be rather hot and humid; the confusion/uncertainties of permits may keep some numbers down; and for their own purposes the police kept trumping very high estimates of a quarter of a million which may lead to reporting that says 'failed to live up to expectations'.]
One exception to the good attendance has been the efforts of NION. Their mass rally planned for yesterday (to be joint with an Arab-American group) was denied a permit. NION's call for spontaneous protests in many locations including Central Park seemed to go unheeded. A sense of their future as well as that of Answer, WWW, and the new group may be clearer in the next few days but so far they do not seem to be drawing numbers.
3) Local media coverage has so far been 'as expected' and partly subdued because it is end-August. All papers have reported things related to arrests, nudity, traffic tie-ups etc. Little or even no coverage for several of the larger 'second tier' demonstrations. The earlier reports in the tabloids of the '50 most dangerous anarchists' descending on NY have not been followed up...so far.
Police behavior has not yet been tested as demonstrators have been studiously non-violent. A large number of bicyclists (over 250) were arrested in an incident the City clearly could have avoided. There have been over 100 people arrested in scattered incidents. Wherever possible, the City has chosen to bring multiple and relatively high level charges; likewise, despite assurances of speedy processing (the city has needed court injunctions to ensure this in the past), it now appears that so far arrangements were not made for additional court facilities.
We shall see in a few hours. Thinking of our fellow list members outside NYC. Paul