Israel Matzav

New York police ordered to keep anti-Iran rally from getting 'too big'?

Could the Stop Iran rally in Times Square last Wednesday have been much bigger? Yes, says Merrill W, whom I have known for more than 40 years.

Hi, Carl,

I was at the rally last night, standing at 7th and 42nd, and I can tell you that it would have been substantially bigger if the police had let it. The sound system faced to the south down 7th Avenue, and those north of the speakers were unable to hear. The police insisted on keeping 7th Avenue between 41st and 42nd open to traffic through the use of metal barriers, and as a result the sidewalks became too crowded to walk on. When the street lights changed to permit pedestrians to cross 7th, they were pulled along by police tape and a police officer yelling at them through an electronic megaphone to hurry across the street. I also saw many people between 42nd and 43rd streets on Broadway before the rally who seemed to be looking for it, and three (!) separate people asked me if I knew where it is (I have a beard and wear a kippah so they assumed I might know).

I assume -- without knowing this to be a fact -- that the police were under orders to suppress crowd size so no dramatic aerial photos could be taken to show the enormity of the crowd and thereby put more pressure on Schumer. He was the focus of many of the speeches, at least the parts that I was able to hear, and of many of the signs held by the crowd. As one speaker said, Schumer will go down in Jewish history due to this vote. The question is whether he will be Queen Esther, placed in this position for just such an occasion as this, or Haman, doing the bidding of the Persian (Iranian) leadership against the Jewish people, and the whole world.

You don't think uber-Leftist New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio would order the police to keep a lid on the rally, do you? Just sayin'....

Meanwhile, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sent a message on Instagram to the pro-Israel crowd (Hat Tip: Jack W).

As 10,000 demonstrators thronged the Stop Iran Now rally in Times Square chanting “Where’s Chuck? Kill this deal!” — and top Obama officials pitched the agreement to lawmakers in DC — Schumer posted an inane comment and a photo of bagels on Instagram.

“Really missing New York bagels in Washington this week; they’re simply the best. #bagels #iloveny,” wrote the leading candidate to replace Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.

Jeffrey S. Wiesenfeld, who organized the rally against what he calls Obama’s “terms of surrender” to Iran, told me, “Good to know our senator takes some days more seriously than others.”

A little smug, isn't he? 

Labels: Charles Schumer, Iran Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran sanctions regime, Iranian nuclear threat, New York City, Senate's treaty powers, Times Square, United States Senate

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:02 PM