12 June 2005

the parade [update]

Listening to 1010WINS this morning, and one of the lead stories is about today's Puerto Rican Day Parade. Mayor Bloomberg had asked the buildings along the parade route on 5th Avenue to not board up their buildings, as that would be an insult, but several buildings boarded up anyway.

So, as part of the story broadcast every 22 minutes, Puerto Rican NY'ers are asked how the boarded buildings make them feel.
So, how does it make you feel, to see these buildings boarded up?

"It's racism, man. They f###in' think we're bunch of f###in' banditos. They didn't board up their building for the Jewish parade last week"

Well, in all fairness, there weren't riots at the Jewish parade ... ever ... unlike ....

"they had riots man, they had riots. Crown Heights, you remember?"

It wasn't Jews rioting in Crown Heights

"It's an insult, man."

If you could talk to the owner of this building, what would you tell him?

"I'd stick my hand down his f###in' throat and rip out his f###in' lungs and stick them up his f###in' ass, and explain to him that I'm not a violent man."

Well, this is 1010WINS reporting live from 5th Avenue and Central Park South. Back to you in the newsroom

I hope J-Lo and Co. enjoy themselves today.

Ciao

update: a fairly peaceful parade.
But while the parade itself ran smoothly, it was marred by sporadic moments of violence and tension, including a stabbing, a razor attack on a police officer and the arrests of more than 150 people on Avenue of the Americas who the police said were gang members.