Demo Report - Win Animal Rights NYC

Fur Free Friday NYC
NYC's Official Unofficial FFF Celebration

Activists gathered at Dennis Basso's fur mortuary on NYC's posh
Madison Avenue. Sadly, more than a dozen NYPD officers beat us to
the location and by the time we got there, they already had a squad
car parked illegally in the middle of the sidewalk in front of
Basso's storefront. The "free speech zone" was set up down the block
from Basso, in front of the recently vacated Jeal Paul Gaultier and
Fendi stores. After a brief discussion, protest organizers notified
the police that we would not be using the barricades.

Educational outreach tables were set up at either side of Basso's
space and the protest started out in the space in between the tables.
Graphics signs were displayed as the DVD player showed images of
animals being skinned alive for their fur. All in view of Basso's
employees in the store. Halfway into the afternoon, Lt. Fat Ass
arrived fresh from 1 Police Plaza as he had been notified that the
effective protest was on-going and that demonstrators were exercising
their first amendment rights. Well, we can't have any of that can
we. Lt. Fat Ass proceeded to trample on our constitutional rights by
insisting that anyone who protested directly in front of Basso's
window would be arrested. When asked what the reason for the arrest
would be, Fat Ass replied. "Because I said so."

With the protest broken into two pieces, neither of which was in
front of Basso's store (apparently the poor folks at Krizia have
forgotten to make their donation to the Police Benevolent Association
this year), protesters decided to take their demo on the road. A
band of roving placard wielding activists cruised Madison Ave and
Fifth Ave. stopping and doing protests wherever they found fur in the
windows. Targets of opportunity included Bergdorf Goodman, Joseph,
Cavalli, Coach, both Prada stores and a variety of smaller boutiques.
Shoppers wearing fur were confronted on the street and shamed into
hanging their heads low as they scurried to get away from the
agitated activists.

At 5:00 PM the roaming protest found it's way back to Basso where it
continued until the last employee scuttled out the door. The large
crew of protesters then made it's way up to fashionable swanky
Central Park West and W. 80th St., where Dennis Basso and his
neighbors were serenaded by loud chanting. Flyers were distributed
to his CPW neighbors and everyone promised to make sure that Basso's
first floor apartment is a regular demo stop.

All in all a fabulous, energizing Fur Free Friday commemoration.

W.A.R. (WIN ANIMAL RIGHTS) is an independent non-profit organization not affiliated or associated with SHAC, SHAC USA or any other group or organization and does not conduct or incite any illegal activity. The above information is not meant to incite or request any illegal actions or illegal activities of any kind. If you have any questions about the legality of any act, we encourage everyone receiving this action alert to check your local laws and ordinances before proceeding.