Tuesday, June 16, 2009 Emergency Protest at Port Authority as the Killing of NYC’s Geese Has Begun Activists from many animal advocacy groups joined with compassionate New Yorkers to protest the planned killing of 2,000 Canada Geese by the USDA according to the plan formulated by Mayor Michael Bloomberg with the collusion of the Port Authority. The planned killing, which began on Monday, June 15, 2009 involves the rounding up of geese that are molting and cannot fly and goslings (baby geese) that are not able to get away. Pictures of the roundup have been published by various news sources providing proof that goslings are being taken along with fully mature adults. After capture, they are placed in crates and transported to an undisclosed location (we hear Kennedy Airport) where they are gassed to death with poison gas. Approximately 75 protesters gathered at the headquarters of Port Authority on Park Avenue South to give voice to the anger and rage of our compassionate community. Not only are protesters angry at the killing but coupled that with the lack of transparency, the secretive nature of the planning and the lack of any kind of community input. If New Yorkers haven’t questioned their leadership up until now, surely they will now.  Posters read “Don’t Gas Our Geese”, “Gassing Geese is Cruel” and “Shame on New York”. Many activists raised their voices for the Geese as they joined together to chant: “Hey Bloomberg, what do you say….How many geese did you gas today?”. Another popular chant was “Polluting the Land, Polluting the Water, Killing the Geese, a Senseless Slaughter”. Leaders shouted out: “What do we want?”….the crowd answered….”Animal Liberation”…..the Leader continued: “How are we going to get it?”….Protesters responded: “By any means necessary”. The crowd was spirited and although many were not used to loud aggressive protests, almost everyone seemed to join in. Almost a thousand flyers were distributed asking for calls to Mayor Bloomberg and Port Authority Deputy Director Ray Tragale. Passersby on the heavily trafficked Park Avenue South, many on their lunch breaks, stopped to chat with protesters to find out why they were there. Almost all expressed support and were horrified that the beautiful peaceful geese were being killed even though they were not the ones to blame for the recent bird/aircraft collision.  No one from Port Authority came down to speak to the protesters and no one has been able to satisfactorily explain why non-lethal methods of geese control are not being considered. Just like on the carriage horse issue, New York City remains in the dark ages by considering only lethal measures of population control. It is ironic that the last time animal activists gathered at the Port Authority, it was to beg for the lives of feral cats living at JFK Airport. Despite the public outcry that community of cats were killed. Cats would be natural predators that could have contributed to population control of the geese (if not full grown geese, then at least the goslings). No doubt the rats and mice that live at JFK are having the last laugh at the stupidity of the Port Authority. Activists left the protest with plans to visit the other culprit, Mayor Bloomberg, at his home, later in the week. To see the demo report for the follow up protest at NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's residence, click on the link below: |
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