An interesting development in the Occupy movement is the presence on 25 protesters on the steps of Federal Hall on Wall Street (with live stream). Federal Hall is is policed by the National Park Service Police and not the NYPD. I assume the NYPD could have jurisdiction. But I’m not certain. And it’s not clear if Park Police (and there aren’t that many of them in NYC) were policing the protesters or keeping the NYPD away from them (initially the latter). When the protesters first appeared, Park Service Rangers (who are not police) could do nothing but say, “Er, we kinda don’t want you here, but there’s nothing we can do to stop you.”
Here’s some coverage from Gothamist.
And I like that there’s a noise limit. I’m much more sympathetic to protests that do not involve damn drum circles!
And a bit advice: more American flags (respectfully displayed). Maybe put a few on the police barricades. What is the NYPD going to do, take them down?
Park Rangers can make arrests…they are armed federal law enforcement, go through FLETC etc.
Of course they can. I never meant to imply otherwise. Park *rangers* cannot make arrests. And they were the first on scene (to put it in police lingo).