including at least one farmer and feed dealer
There's a fairly happy story in Newsday this morning, reporting the relatively unaggressive approach of NYC police to last night's local Critical Mass.
The monthly event promoting pollution-free transportation went off almost without incident, marking the first time since the Republican Convention in August that police did not harass the participants.*
The numbers were down from those recorded on recent Fridays, perhaps because of winter and the holiday, but more likely because many enthusiasts would have feared a repeat of unprovoked police violence, indiscriminate incarceration and illegal confiscation of bicycles. News of last night's peace should produce larger turnouts in the [warmer] future.
After the news of the success of the ride, my favorite part of Wil Cruz's article is the attribution of a quote near the end which criticizes ambiguous police direction. The speaker is described as "Jack Horowitz, 57, a farmer and feed dealer from the South Bronx."
I read this to Barry and he immediately added to my own glee: "That's why I love New York!"
*for recent history, see this September link and this one from late October.
[image by Joel Cairo from Newsday]