#BDS: U.S. Boat to Gaza Activists Hit Fashion Week with Style

Q: When is a public sidewalk not public?

A: When it’s in front of Lincoln Center.

Activists organizing to send a U.S. boat to break the Israeli blockade and siege of Gaza took their case to the streets Sept. 14. Dressed in t-shirts featuring the ubiquitous “We Will Not Be Silent” slogan in various languages, including Arabic and Hebrew, plus a new design featuring the U.S. Boat to Gaza logo, they tried to hold a “fashion shoot” in front of Lincoln Center, site of New York’s Fashion Week. The plaza was filled with tourists and people with cameras taking pictures of the fashionistas coming and going from the event in Damrosch Park behind the arts center.

As soon as the activists pulled out their signs, however, a half-dozen police converged on them, saying they could not hold a demonstration on the plaza, which is private property. When the group offered to move to the sidewalk, they were told that there was a “designated area” across the street for protests.