PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Yesterday someone in a bar in the "East Village" told me that a cop told him there's gonna be massive arrests during the upcoming Convention. In the meantime the NYPD has launched a sweep of Manhattan picking up random homeless, public beer drinkers, urinators, those with outstanding warrants, etc. by the hundreds. I know because I was one of over that number locked in "The Tombs" as Central Booking is commonly referred to, for a funfilled and zany 21 or so hours a couple days ago. Yesterday, there were cop cars and cops on foot virtually swarming over Chinatown, which is maybe two miles south of where the Convention is going to be held, doing God knows what.
I walked into my fave vintage clothing store, corner of Pearl and Canal, looking for some pants, and there were three strapping young cops standing around the counter looking really serious. An acquaintance who does carpentry and construction told me he's getting shit at his job because his boss is Repub. The post 9/11 atmosphere of martial law in Manhattan is about to reach critical mass. I've met a few people who are dead set on protesting, but I must recommend staying the fuck away from the city until it blows over, if it ever does. I'm no historian's pupil, but I keep thinking of Chicago summer of '68. It's gonna get ugly.
Best Regards,
ANTIBUSHMACHINE #29874651324