Prosecutors agree to release bicycles held after GOP convention protests

NEW YORK (AP) _ The Manhattan district attorney's office reportedly agreed to return bicycles seized from protesters during the Republican National Convention.

"I'm pleased the D.A.'s office has arranged to have the bikes released," Norman Seigel, a civil rights lawyer who worked out the deal, told The New York Times for Saturday editions. "To have kept the bikes would've been punitive and legally unnecessary."

More than 300 bikes have been held as evidence in cases stemming from protests during the convention.

Barbara Thompson, a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office, said Friday that prosecutors decided that the bicycles could be photographed and released rather then held until the protesters' trials.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ny--conventionprotest0918sep18,0,267097.story?coll=ny-ap-regional-wire

were considered excessive-seems that a lot of folks were kept in Gitmo on the Hudson for 36 hours in an attempt to make sure they didn't get out in time to spoil the Chimp's speech. Over 600 people won't even go to trial-they were given some sort of caution. Even the brave souls who protested in MSG have had the worst charges dropped. So it makes sense that the DA would un-impound the bikes.

Now, I wonder how Law & Order, the TV show set partly in the Manhattan DA's office, will handle this. Their shows are often based on recent headlines.....

It is the citizen's duty to consume so the corporations might continue to enjoy the profits-without-risks-or-liabilities of the new American (responsibility)-free market

Is a car impounded for evidence when a driver is speeding? For having their lights out or turn signal inoperable?

A campaign needs to be started to remove/fire the district attorney and police officers involved in this abuse of civil rights.