First, it was exclusively focused on non-violent civil disobedience. This confirms a theme throughout the previous four days. I have carefully observed almost all the major demonstrations - there appears to be NO ONE interested in even Seattle-style window breaking. Tuesday night the opportunities were certainly there: large crowds managed to wangle their way into the Herald Square/Macy's shopping area and many (one thousand two hundred) were arrested just before and during the evening. But there was no interest in any property damage. [I am aware of some innuendos in the national press that protestors were not peaceful, I won't go into details here but suggest you look carefully at the articles - they contain adjectives but no facts. I have followed this question closely and directly.]
Second, the numbers were LARGE. (I know that each day I keep reporting this but...) Many have written on this list and elsewhere that the NY's police numbers and physical layout make mass civil disobedience a limited option. Last night - for the first time in NYC's history - this was not true. There were just that many people prepared to face arrest.
During the day, civil disobedience demonstrations were spread out throughout Manhattan. So many different locations, with such large numbers, that by evening a large crowd was able to get into Herald Square, close to the Convention and where many delegates had to pass through. Examples up to that point:
- In mid afternoon, at the World Trade Center center about 1500 demonstrators (my estimate) were gathered without a permit by the War Resistors League, School of Americas Watch and a few other groups. They were blocked from marching on the Convention and 200 were immediately arrested (despite conforming to sidewalk marching regulations). But the rest had been gathered and made their way to Madison Square in small groups. Many of these were arrested later in the night.
- Shortly after the WTC arrests, at Fox News about another 1500 demonstrators were gathered (my estimate) by disparate groups including Code Pink. The police penned in 800 and allowed those to demonstrate (they had a permit and there was a heavy media presence) while chasing off the rest. But again, people had been mobilized in preparation for the Herald Sq. actions.
- At about 5:00 pm, in front of the NY Public Library a banner was unfurled and a group of maybe 200 quickly attracted another 600. No clear organization and there was no permit and little media. The were aggressively driven off by a police Captain who was clearly cracking under the strain. But they suffered only a few arrests and gathered numbers for later that night.
- there were numerous similar events in front of many corporate locations (Carlyle Group, etc).
I imagine the Herald Sq. "culmination" of the day is heavily reported in various media, so I will not elaborate. Quite a lively and mostly young group (median age 27?). Very serious and aware of their choices. More determined 'to make a difference, tonight' than festive.
As the middle class/middle age nature of the crowds has been left behind, so has the tone of the media and the restraint of the police. Ongoing slipping performance from both.
My *guess* would be that Tuesday night was a peak, with a second effort for Thursday (also many events on Wednesday). But the tone of the next two days will be hard to predict; much depends on how the police commanders want to handle things and how frayed things become.
Paul