A city spokeswoman attributed the delay to concerns about crowd size - the plaza can hold 150 people. The permit was granted on the condition that the rally move to a larger plaza if the crowd grows too large. But Garis suspects more sinister motives. Anticipating further problems, protest organizers have enlisted the National Lawyers Guild and ACLU to train legal observers to ensure police act within the law. They've trained volunteers to act as medics, stockpiled truckloads of food and water, and opened offices where protesters can get help for any need.
Officials insist their actions merely are a matter of emergency preparedness.
Timoney said he expects most protesters to cause little concern and obey city laws. Those who protest without permits won't face immediate arrest, he added. Officers will consider when and where they protest and how much they disrupt things. Those arrested for civil disobedience or more minor infractions likely will be charged with summary offenses, meaning they'll go to jail and be released after paying a fine. He denied rumors that police would stiffen penalties for protesters who slump or otherwise passively resist arrest so that officers have to carry them to the paddy wagon.