ManicDDaily

Whew. Just walked by Zuccotti Park. And I take back a lot of this morning’s post. I don’t know what Bloomberg should have done–tents were probably not a great idea. I can understand the concern that in an age of “see something, say something,” a bunch of tents in a public square can pose genuine security threats.

But what’s happening this morning is very scary. The police presence is overwhelming. I’m talking hundreds of cops in riot gear, vans and vans. (My pictures really can’t convey the feeling of the park.)

The protesters left are gamely trying to march up Liberty Street, very hemmed in, chanting. (One girl with a prosthesis, older people, all kinds of people.)

They are surrounded in addition to the police by so many people with cameras, press, passers-by. Brokers have come out to watch. Tourists don’t quite know what they are doing in the middle of it. STreet is shaking with the chant of protesters and also, well, a sense of fear. Maybe Bloomberg’s idea is to avoid confrontation through a crushing police presence, I don’t know, but it is awful to see. I’m still shaking inside.

To be fair, my only personal confrontation with a policeman was his telling me to watch out for the red light stop sign–i.e. get out of the middle of Broadway till the light changed.

And the police, in general, seem disciplined, undaunted by picture taking. No one is trying to stop anyone from doing that, as you can see below.

The thing is that there are just so many of them. It’s hard to convey the scene in iPhone pictures, but here are some.