I scurried on foot from the East side 6 train to my job on Sixth Ave. through the upscale midtown side streets Monday. I noticed how thick the police security forces were once again. I assumed the heavy security was still about the UN meetings, for the protection of the delegates and their high profile guest speakers.
Last Wednesday a friend and I had to jettison our choice of a restaurant in the E. 30s because of a too long wait at a barricaded intersection because of an upcoming pass-by of the president's motorcade.
On this day at a very classy restaurant on East 50th-something near Madison I noted a special X-ray baggage conveyor belt system set up to the right of its entrance. Metal and concrete barricades encircled the entire front of the restaurant. There was also a group of serious looking but "at ease" police officers, one with a lean and edgy-looking Doberman Pinscher on a leash. I am one of those people who easily reaches out to pet dogs when we encounter each other on the NYC streets but as I hastened by I felt no temptation to extend an arm toward this one.
I don't think I had ever seen such a thick security presence since the days of 9-11. At least not for a particular restaurant. The 5-star Waldorf Astoria -- popular with the presidential set -- noticeably from time to time has heavy security on both the Lexington and Park ends, such as cement barricades installed before it, police cars and motorcycles lined up blocking the street before it as well as seriously armed and looking police officers stationed about. But this day the security was impressively thick block after block after block.
That particular street the restuarant was on even had been cordoned off at both ends of its block, though pedestrians were allowed to walk up and down the sidewalks.
Later when I got to work and commented on all the security a coworker informed me that Bibi Netanyahu was in town to speak at the UN. I wondered if that restaurant was where he would be dining that evening.
Such is the sorry, ugly and dangerous state of the world. World leaders needed incredible security for their protection. An entire section of a busy city was suddenly choked by heavy militarized police presence for the protection and convenience of said leaders. Why? Because of the atrocities some of them were inflicting on humanity! Because of the atrocities most all of them were amorally enabling against humanity! They were in danger of the proverbial "blowback" of their violent agendas. Also, potential "collateral damage" victims Fate randomly supplied to their proximities -- including entire countries -- were at risk.
I am often tempted to pull out my camera during the walking section of my pilgrimage to the workplace, but this day such heavy police presence depressed me. I didn't consider picture-taking until I reached a lovely art gallery on Madison, Eden Fine Art, that always made me smile as I passed by. Lots of "happy art" -- sculptures and murals mostly -- passersby could enjoy through its windowed walls. I slowed down in front of it and yanked out the little camera from a pocket of my knapsack and snapped a few pictures.
Later that night during my dinner break I took my camera with me on a short walk through Times Square. I snapped a few more pictures. Again there was a noticeably increased police presence.
Here are some of the pix.
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