1) The Big March: I won't go over the ground you will read in the national reports, but the numbers were truly impressive -- honestly much more than the 125,000 reported by NYPD. The composition deserves some reflection (I carefully note the crowd over most of the march). It was quite mainstream, one could even almost say middle class. Conversely there were fewer of some of the notable groups from last year's demonstrations: Arab/Islamic Americans were much fewer, Haitians were fewer, other 'new immigrant' groups were fewer. So were the 'upset individuals' that showed up -- as a result the proportion of organized affinity groups was larger. The labor contingents had fewer of the less-well off unions (except health and hospital workers). Altogether a bit more of a march about the election and a bit less of a much about the war itself (not that one can separate the two).
2) Central Park, the big surprise: [The mayor had denied a permit for the Park for a rally; after an initial equivocation the organizers cancelled any rally and tacitly supported those calling for a confrontation by going to the Park after the March]. In the end, MANY went. Much more than reported because their arrival was staggered over 4 hours - the March itself turned out to be staggered for that long (whether this was a the intent by the Police is something not yet known). In the heat/humidity much of the first group left in the first couple of hours. But there was no confrontation. And, worth noting, there was no effort to seek one from the demonstrators. That said this was a group - of thousands - that went knowing they may well be arrested, so they were quite assertive, just not seeking a confrontation. But the surprise: like the people on the march, they were mostly "middle class" and not dedicated activists (they did have a bit younger median age maybe in the low 30s). I had not quite expected this mix to be prepared for arrest. Other footnote: this would have been THE place for the so-called "Sects" to put in all possible efforts. They were almost all there - but in very small numbers and unable even to make their presence felt despite trying hard. And not with many young members. Is that all these groups have left?
3) Breaking News: Times Square Things are still not clear as I write and I was not there. Apparently, individual groups of demonstrators were protesting peacefully in front of the Times Square theaters tonight (the Republican delegates were given free tickets to tonight's Broadway performances). They were swept up and arrested (200 - 300?). If the fact bear up this would be the first mass arrest where no clear violations were involved and this could affect the coming tone. [There were also more arrests of bicyclists today. Some were indeed blocking the street but in another case (50 bicyclists? by Park Avenue) it seems less clear. Apparently NYPD has targeted bicyclists as an avant-garde of the Anarchists.]
Unless Times Square changes the tone, it is thought that Tuesday will be the day with the most street confrontation.
Hope this is useful to someone out there. Others in NYC please correct/add, etc. Paul