UPDATE from the Kumzitz : “The best part was at Bryant Park- a police man came to make sure no one would threaten us, and we told him how it was planned to take place in Times Square- and he said that as long as we didn’t have electric devices, or gasoline, we don’t need a permit- and the police had no reason to kick us out. But it was really nice at Bryant Park, too- Thank G-d it all worked out.”
WHY was this event happening? In the wake of the yearly anti-Israel rallies called “Anti-Apartheid” Week, students from Yeshiva University Israel Club, the Maccabeats and the B’notes, on Thursday, March 11, 2010, at 8:30 PM, met in TIMES SQUARE for ISRAEL PEACE WEEK . They planned to meet by the red steps in Duffy Square or… so they thought…
First the police told them to move a tad south, in front of the Marriott.
This same location, just a month before, is where we witnessed a spontaneous rally by 911 Truthers (also called We Are Change) who set up 4 bull horns (without a sound permit) and then went unchallenged by the police for over two hours.
To see post on “We Are Change” (click for link to post)
The Kumzitz was not as fortunate. The police moved them BACK to the Duffy Square area and then, 30 minutes later, this peaceful assembly of students, singing acoustically, was told they had to leave Times Square altogether. If only the police were fair and consistent this wouldn’t seem like prejudice against the Kumzitz.
The video of the Kumzitz :
Thirty minutes was way too short and the people in Times Square were clearly enjoying the Kumzitz.
The slide show of a few pictures of the Kumzitz ( with lots of friendly moments with the police):
The kids were great; polite and joyful as they promoted PEACE and then…. headed to Bryant Park…
