I just got back from Union Square, and here's a few pics I took. If I had to estimate the crowd size, I'd guess at least a couple hundred. Not bad for a weeknight with (IMO) relatively little advance notice. Hopefully the protests will continue and draw greater numbers as the word gets out.
The sole NYPD cop assigned to watch over the event seemed more concerned with writing traffic tickets than with crushing dissent. If only the Iranian people were able to protest in such safety.
I have no Middle Eastern ancestry that I'm aware of (at least not from within the past couple centuries); my family background is mainly English and German. I'm not a Muslim; I'm a progressive Christian and a member of the Episcopal Church. One could argue I don't have a horse in this race, and if this were just another hotly-contested election in another country, they'd be right. But this isn't just another internal dispute within a foreign land; this is Chicago in 1968, or Tianenmen Square or Berlin in 1989. The crowd at Union Square reflected people of all races, ages, genders, and lifestyles. The whole world has a horse in this race, and the whole world is watching.
Sorry for the poor picture quality... I bought a brand-new digital camera yesterday, but of course, I left it at home this morning. So these are from my iPhone.
Have I mentioned how incredibly beautiful Persian women are?
Peace out.