Lederman et al v Parks Department By no stretch complete, here are links to some of the top pieces of video, legal documents

and photo evidence for the case. Commissioner Benepe interview on the day the revised rules were announced:
http://www.ny1.com/6-bronx-news-content/ny1_living/115958/vendors-critique-parks-officials--new-rulesfor-street-art

According to the Mayor, artists are hot dog vendors who imagine themselves to be protected by the First Amendment. Listen to the Mayor on his radio show the day of the Park rules hearing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP8Oq5zsTsw The Mayor further describes his desire to eliminate artists in this recording made in City Hall and complains that the police have no time to summons them: Recording made in City Hall of Mike Bloomberg and Robert Lederman in which the Mayor reveals his true position on street artists. The first part of the recording is Lederman negotiating with NYPD security about the use of the City Hall steps. The Mayor personally intercedes on Ledermans behalf at 2:40 of the recording: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK-H48IEuHE *(1) Proof that the entire stated purpose of the revised rules is a false one. The existing park rules and NYC vending laws were already more than enough to regulate artists and other written matter vendors. From the 2010 public testimony of New Yorkers for Parks, a front group for the Central Park Conservancy and the Parks Dept, that testified in favor of the new rules: "We recognize that regulations applying to vendors, including vendors of expressive material, already exist, particularly relating, for example, to where they can set up relative to Parks property and monuments, walkways, or park entrances and to the permissible size of their displays. New Yorkers for Parks supports the enforcement of the existing regulations uniformly and fairly for both permitted concessions and First Amendment protected vendors." For the original document go here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/57283015/DPR-Hearing-Expressive-Matter-VendorsApr232010 *(2) Internal Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP), NYPD and DCA memos specifically describing the vending laws that were being used in NYC Parks prior to 2010 on a daily basis:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/56731193/Parks-Enforcement-4-Artists *(3) The top 3 Parks Enforcement officials have now testified to the exact same thing under oath in their depositions. * Parks used to enhance surrounding real estate values; a study by the Central Park Conservancy: http://www.ny4p.org/pdfs/reports/SupportingOurParksJune8.pdf Or here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/33087067/Supporting-Our-Parks-June-8 EXCERPT: "The park [Central Park] added $17.7 billion in incremental value to surrounding properties." Excerpt: NY Times June 5, 2011 The High Line Isnt Just a Sight to See; Its Also an Economic Dynamo But on Friday afternoon, there was Mr. Giulianis successor, Michael R. Bloomberg, proclaiming that preserving the High Line as a public park revitalized a swath of the city and generated $2 billion in private investment surrounding the park Amanda Burden, the citys planning director, emphasized the boost to property values, saying that in one building that abuts the lower section of the High Line, the price of apartments had doubled since the park opened, to about $2,000 a square foot. * High Line generates 2 billion in real estate http://www.scribd.com/doc/61612964/High-Line-Attracts-2-Billion-in-Real-Estate The kind of people who rent luxury apartments for $100,000 a month dont want to see street artists in their parks. Who must be eliminated next to make our public Parks more profitable for the Citys wealthiest real estate developers? The noise complaints concerning Central Parks Bethesda Fountain are from people with multi million dollar Fifth Ave apartments who dont want to hear classical music unless its coming from their own stereo. * Benepe says more condos and a hotel needed in park http://www.scribd.com/doc/59458939/Benepe-Condos-and-Hotel-Needed-in-Park SEE: NY Times 6/5/2011 No Radios by the Fountain, Please! Or Cellos! http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/06/nyregion/musicians-protest-quiet-zones-in-centralpark.html The complaints about art displays are from billionaire art collectors who dont want to see artists displaying their art in a nearby park unless a politically connected art dealer or a politically connected arts foundation installs the art there. Mike Bloomberg lives

right across the street from where the artists sell outside the Met Museum. Hes installing art he collects and approves of in parks all over NYC. Park Conservancy and BID directors like Jennifer Falk, Danny Meyer, Doug Blonsky and Joshua David, are making huge salaries, the money for which comes directly from sprawling concessions of junk merchandise, bars and restaurants that they install in the exact locations within NYC Parks where street artists are now banned. * Park conservancy salaries, concessions and corruption http://www.scribd.com/doc/34344075/Park-Conservacy-Salaries-concessions-corruption Media coverage, evidence, background materials, videos of the ARTIST protests, text of the Parks Department rules for artists Link to text of revised Parks Department rules for artists as published in The City Record on June 18, 2010: http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_about/rules_and_regulations/rr_rules_regulations.html OR here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/33230387/Parks-Dept-Rule-Change-for-artists-6-10-2010 Expressive Matter Vendors FAQ from Parks Department http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_about/rules_and_regulations/rr_rules_regulations.html Or here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/33234963/Expressive-Matter-Vendor-Faq * Robert Ledermans written testimony submitted at the Parks Department hearing on 4/23/2010. Has numerous photos as evidence of the real Parks Department agenda of privatization and concessions replacing artists. Provides an overview of entire history of the issue and this lawsuit http://www.scribd.com/doc/32399532/Lederman-Testimony-Submitted-to-Parks * Bloomberg on artists rights and free expression in NYC. The Mayor lauds a Chinese artist who is now imprisoned for his political views in one of the exact locations street artists are now banned. Apparently, the Mayor did not realize that Ai WeiWei was himself formerly a NYC street artist who left the US in disgust due to the repression of artists rights he experienced on the streets of NY. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRlUeVoVXOI **** NY1 News 03/27/2010 In his first public statement on this issue, Park Comissioner Benepe blames Robert Lederman for new park rules
http://www.ny1.com/6-bronx-news-content/ny1_living/115958/vendors-critique-parks-officials--new-rulesfor-street-art

Also see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0Gg95vrF8I

* Lederman political art and activism 1 of 4 http://www.scribd.com/doc/61304955/Lederman-Political-Art-1-of-4 2 of 4 http://www.scribd.com/doc/61305231/Lederman-Political-Art-2-of-4 3 of 4 http://www.scribd.com/doc/61305447/Lederman-Political-Art-3-of-4 4 of 4 http://www.scribd.com/doc/61305647/Lederman-Political-Art-4-of-4 5 of 5 http://www.scribd.com/doc/61371143/RL-Political-Art-5 *2010 Holiday Vending Market in Union Square Park http://www.scribd.com/doc/42641529/Holiday-Market-2010-USP * Garbage left behind by 2010 USP Holiday Market Evidence to prove in court that the Park rules were written as a pretext to get rid of artists and replace them with vending concessions. Public safety and park aesthetics are the very last thing concerning the Parks Dept or the park conservancies that were behind the rules. Photos http://www.scribd.com/doc/46172874/Union-Square-Park-Debris Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC_mEixoJ7U * 13 member band forced into medallion spots by PEP, totally displacing artists 7/4/2011 http://www.scribd.com/doc/59459612/13-Musicians-in-2-Medallion-Spots-b * Unlicensed vendors flood area beaches, turning city shores into open-air marketplaces Daily News Sunday, July 3rd 2011 http://www.scribd.com/doc/59459865/Unlicensed-Vendors-Flood-Area-Beaches * Crains 7/1/2011 Park food trucks can now sell alcohol http://www.scribd.com/doc/59459992/Parks-Food-Trucks-Sell-Booze * Food and wine now sold on the High Line http://www.scribd.com/doc/59460129/Food-and-Wine-Now-Offered-on-the-High-LineAl-Fresco-Wire-Eater-NY *More than 500 different concession in NYC Parks. Individually, some of them have as

many as 200 vendors http://www.scribd.com/doc/59461796/New-York-City-Department-of-Parks-Recreation * Park conservancy salaries, concessions and corruption http://www.scribd.com/doc/34344075/Park-Conservacy-Salaries-concessions-corruption * Summary of the basic issue http://www.scribd.com/doc/31614042/Parks-Department-vs-Street-Artists-With-Photos ***Who is really causing congestion in Union Square Park? Is it artists or the Parks Departments corporate events, vending concessions and the Greenmarket? Watch these 2 comparison videos and decide for yourself: 5/30/2010 Taiwan Festival in USP and artists http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr4i_SHUj6I 5/22/2010 Greenmarket and artists in USP http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRVsv_E1Iqc * Sukkah City competition Union Square Park 9/19/2010 photos by R Lederman http://www.scribd.com/doc/37732963/Sukkah-City-Competition-Union-Square-Park-919-2010 Video of Sukkah City by R Lederman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur8xED6pwUY Bloomberg and Sukkah City http://www.scribd.com/doc/37885177/Bloomberg-Sukkah-City *Union Sq Greenmarket violates all park rules for public safety http://www.scribd.com/doc/33300320/Union-Square-Park-Green-Market-6-19-2010-byRL http://www.scribd.com/doc/33894120/Evidence-File-4 * Union Sq Park Greenmarket maps Compare the amount of space for them vs for artists http://www.scribd.com/doc/33318520/Union-Sq-Park-GreenMarket-Maps * Union Square Partnership solicits for corporations http://www.scribd.com/doc/34643226/UNion-Sq-Partnership-Solicits-for-Corporations * 7/27/2011 USP event in exact area where artists now banned http://www.scribd.com/doc/61090162/7-27-11-USP-Event * Medallion spots are designed to be useless.

West side USP medallion spots are invisible from inside the park http://www.scribd.com/doc/61090207/Medallion-Spots-in-Union-Square-Park-HiddenFrom-View-by-a-Wall *Parks Dept solicits for 55 more food carts in NYC Parks http://www.scribd.com/doc/46764932/Specialty-Carts-235-RFP-FINAL *Parks Dept solicits for even more food carts at the same time they are trying to eliminate artists http://www.scribd.com/doc/48376954/GreenCart-Solicitation-PARKS * Parks Dept solicits for more tee shirt concessions http://www.scribd.com/doc/54913668 * Solicitation for High Line food concessions http://www.scribd.com/doc/54913666 * High Line book carts http://www.scribd.com/doc/54913665 *Dance event Step To The High Line 6/18/2011 sets up on High Line completely obstructing artist medallion spots. It also causes a huge amount of congestion in the tunnel. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMReIn10Cnk Document and details of dance event: http://www.scribd.com/doc/59458453/Step-to-the-High-Line-Festival-Showcase-theHigh-Line *Another event took place on 6/28/2010 that caused all the medallions to be vacated by artists. http://www.scribd.com/doc/59458575/Announcement-of-Medallions-Relocated Also see: http://www.scribd.com/doc/59460489/Medallions-Removed-HL-8-12-2010 * 6/26/2011 Parks Dept sells a permit to event to take over entire area in USP where the 40 alternates medallion spots are for artists #1 usp - event vs 40 spots 6-26-11: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv7RvhAcM9s #2 usp - event vs 40 spots 6-26-11: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29f_wfVRYrM #3 usp - event vs 40 spots 6-26-11: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InXwqREMR4w #4 usp - event vs 40 spots 6-26-11:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfTEzmXnTmo * Central Park survey on number of visitors IMPORTANT (shows that the Central Park Conservancy not artists is causing any increase in congestion) http://www.scribd.com/doc/54913660 * Union Square Partnership BID promotes 60 restaurants, 20 wineries where artists now banned http://www.scribd.com/doc/36010343/USP-Restaruant-Promo *High Line now to include bars http://www.scribd.com/doc/54781818/Get-Drunk-on-the-High-Line-This-Summer-WithColicchio * Park privatization expose http://www.scribd.com/doc/36086576/Park-Privatization-Expose *Parks Department Exploits Public Monuments to Advertise NBCTV Show http://www.scribd.com/doc/46410640/Monuments-Used-for-Advertising-by-Parks *Central Park Conservancy selling the exact same merchandise they arrest hundreds of vendors for selling http://www.scribd.com/doc/47599220/CP-Conservancy-GIFTS *National Guard recruitment USP 6/29/2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsGdW2OkRxs * Corporate promotions part A USP 6/29/2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIAkL3V2IqM * Corporate promotions part B USP 6/29/2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7tghq1sJyw * High Line-TARGET fashion show http://www.scribd.com/doc/36010575/HighLine-Target-Fasion-Show * Lederman v PEP officers Union Sq Park 7/3/2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J0QDABS8r0&feature=related * Marked spots for artists in Union Sq Park are both illegal (according to the new park rules) and totally useless for vending http://www.scribd.com/doc/33889545/Evidence-File-5-Mock-Set-Ups * Three videos of marked vending spots in Union Sq Park showing that they are unusable http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDHJT8J4CsA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiqf9pQ8FX0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrEjTl7xGaA *Union Square Park Evidence files by Miriam West http://www.scribd.com/doc/36736065/Evidence-File-15 http://www.scribd.com/doc/36737634/M-West-Evidence-File-1 http://www.scribd.com/doc/36737585/Evidence-File-13-2 http://www.scribd.com/doc/36737504/Evidence-File-12 http://www.scribd.com/doc/36737500/Evidence-File-11 http://www.scribd.com/doc/36737452/Evidence-File-10 http://www.scribd.com/doc/36737433/Evidence-File-8B-7-28-10 http://www.scribd.com/doc/36737385/Evidence-File-8A-7-28-10 http://www.scribd.com/doc/36737378/Evidence-File-7 http://www.scribd.com/doc/36737366/Evidence-File-5-Mock-Set-Ups http://www.scribd.com/doc/36737312/Evidence-File-4 http://www.scribd.com/doc/36737281/Evidence-File-3 http://www.scribd.com/doc/36737272/Evidence-File-2 * Parks Department solicits for huge Christmas Tree vending concessions that violate all public safety rules http://www.scribd.com/doc/34149564/Christmas-Tree-2010 * Parks Department solicits for more food carts in Central Park http://www.scribd.com/doc/49969656/Central-Park-Con-Sessions-RFP *Benepe promotes more food carts NY Times June 21, 2011In City Parks, Fancier Noshing http://www.scribd.com/doc/59460966/Benepe-Food-Cart-Promotions *Parks art installation uses park benches to display art http://www.scribd.com/doc/59461293/Parks-Dept-Displays-Art-on-Benches * Central Park Conservancy merchandise http://www.scribd.com/doc/47599220/CP-Conservancy-GIFTS * Park Commissioner Benepe promotes Shake Shack chain, owned by Danny Meyer, founder of the Union Square Partnership BID http://www.scribd.com/doc/36256635/Benepe-Danny-Meyer-Promote-Shake-Shack * Union Square Park congestion caused by the BID and corporations not by artists. http://www.scribd.com/doc/36257416/USP-Pedestrian-Congestion-Caused-byCorporations * How NYC Street Artists Won Our Rights

http://www.scribd.com/doc/30543412/How-NYC-Street-Artists-Won-Our-Rights * Times Square BID Solicits for Vending Concessions in Pedestrian Mall http://www.scribd.com/doc/30775181/Times-Sq-BID-Concession-RFP * Request for BIDs for new Union Sq Park Caf http://www.scribd.com/doc/31557560/Union-Square-Cafe-and-Kiosk-RFP-28FINAL-29 * Parks Department/Union Sq Partnership BID Solicits for 200 stand Holiday Market Vending Concession in Union Square Park http://www.scribd.com/doc/30773226/Union-Square-Holiday-Market-Solicitation * Shake Shack causes far more congestion than 100 artists would, Madison Sq Park video by Joel Kaye http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k9CEhZKGs0 * Columbus Circle Holiday Vending Market http://www.scribd.com/doc/60267105/Columbus-Circle-Holiday-Market-2010 Application to enter Columbus circle Holiday Market http://www.scribd.com/doc/33967392/Columbus-Circle-Holiday-Market-2010Application * Parks used to enhance surrounding real estate values http://www.ny4p.org/pdfs/reports/SupportingOurParksJune8.pdf Or here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/33087067/Supporting-Our-Parks-June-8 EXCERPT: "The park [Central Park] added $17.7 billion in incremental value to surrounding properties." * Parks Dept/Madison Square Park Conservancy solicit for huge vending market http://www.scribd.com/doc/32324536/MadSqMarkt2010 * Park conservancies getting huge salaries from City money-Daily News http://www.scribd.com/doc/34180998/Park-Conservancies-Get-PAID * NY Post 9/13/09 Fat cats turn park-keeper groups into their 'shady' money trees Park Conservancy corruption tied to vending concessions http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/item_OMOUSQhTNEvDOTjQk2K8SI * Cupcake Cart Concession, Washington Sq Park (Note the sidewalk congestion caused by this concession and how it violates numerous Parks Dept rules concerning width of sidewalk, vending over a grill etc) http://www5.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=1540748028/

* Mayor Bloomberg fills NYC streets and parks with tourists, then complains that a few street artists are causing congestion. http://www.scribd.com/doc/33496666/Bloomberg-Fills-NYC-Streets-With-Tourists * Parks Departments officially sanctioned corporate art (one of hundreds of examples) http://www.scribd.com/doc/36548524/Parks-Officially-Sanctioned-Art * NYU Law School rejects Park rules proposal http://www.scribd.com/doc/30701886/CityLaw-Rejects-Park-Rules-Proposal Union Square Community Coalition rejects Park rules proposal http://www.scribd.com/doc/30665784/USCC-Artist-Letter-4-22-10-USCC NYCLU Rejects Park rules proposal http://www.scribd.com/doc/30867894/NYCLU-Rejects-Park-Rules-Proposal *** Fruit Stands replace artists at Met Here's the latest evidence that the Mayor literally wants to replace artists with more vending concessions in Parks. If you recall the premise of the so-called Green Cart program, it was to bring fruits and vegetables to poor neighborhoods where the Mayor believed the residents did not understand the health reasons for eating fresh produce instead of junk food. Is there a single person in NYC who thinks that the Upper East Side is one of those poor neighborhoods, let alone millionaires row, Fifth Ave along Central Park East in the 80's? These new food carts will be placed in the exact location where artists have sold for many years and where the Mayor and Parks Commissioner claim artists are causing congestion. SEE: NY Post, Gothamist http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/produce_carts_roll_in_cent_pk_health_q Ea3nXjhIukV1xrFFMleaP http://gothamist.com/2010/03/06/fruit_snacks_coming_to_central_park.php Park Commissioner started as illegal food vendor in Central Park http://www.columbia.edu/cu/alumni/Magazine/Fall2002/Benepe.html Columbia Magazine EXCERPT: "Benepes connection to the parks department actually began when he was fifteen. His first job as a parkie was collecting trash in parks and mopping locker rooms at Szold Pool on the Lower East Side. He later got a job as a pushcart vendor in Central Park in the summer of 1976. Every day Id go to the garage and get this 600-pound cart, load it up with soup and loaves of bread, and push it from 81st to 59th Street and sell to lunch crowd. After that, Id go up to

Delacorte Theatre and sell to the dinner crowd. (The operation was illegal, he adds, since he didnt have a permit.)" The Guardian of Gotham's Gardens ***NYPD, DCA and Parks Department Internal Memos on selling art: whats allowed, whats not and the laws that can be enforced: http://www.mediafire.com/? sharekey=be38676c5f033d6b61d4646c62b381cb665fcb2f27e7c89f0897301e858a8174 * Video of ARTIST protest by Sasha Sazanov http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHZz0UPgfXw *** Updated Major Media coverage of Parks rules for artists issue *** NY Times http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/vendors-thumb-nose-at-city-restriction/ NY Observer 7/28/2010 New Parks Regulations Slap Street Artists http://www.observer.com/2010/culture/new-parks-regulations-slap-street-artists NBC http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/Artists-Protest-Limit-on-Park-VendorSpots-98766594.html NY1 http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/122297/city-art-vendor-limits-take-effect CBS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcmb68W-4Nc NY Post http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/gotta_have_art_cUZFEFAlaTDXX1eftv USxL NY Law Journal; lead article, cover. Also has judges entire ruling http://www.scribd.com/doc/34585240/NY-Law-Journal-on-Injunction http://www.dnainfo.com/20100719/gramercy-flatiron-union-square/artists-protest-citysnew-vendor-restrictions-union-square-park Fed judge upholds NYC art vendor crackdown rules (AP) 7/16/2010 NEW YORK A federal judge in New York City has upheld new regulations seeking to cap the number of art vendors allowed in Manhattan's busiest parks.

Judge Richard Sullivan on Friday denied motions in two cases brought by street artists seeking to prohibit the city's parks department from enforcing the new rules. The city administration has said the parks have become too crowded, but the lawsuit argued that farmers market and holiday commercial vendors create more congestion in the parks than the artists. City lawyer Mark Muschenheim said he was pleased with the decision, saying the rules reflect a careful balance between the rights of vendors and the public's right to enjoy the parks. Plaintiff Robert Lederman said his lawyers plan to appeal. The new rule is scheduled to take effect July 19. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/17/nyregion/17vendors.html NY TimesJuly 16, 2010 Judge Allows City to Limit Art Sellers in Parks Destinations Examiner http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-23890-NY-Destinations-Examiner~y2010m7d18Restrictions-on-NYC-park-artists-to-start-Monday-after-judge-denies-injunction Wall Street Journal 7/19/2010 By LAUREN FEDOR More than 100 of the city's artists are expected to gather in Union Square Park Monday morning in response to new regulations limiting the number of art vendors in Manhattan's parks. The new rules, set to take effect Monday, place a cap on the number of "expressive matter vendors"those who sell art, photography, reading materials or sculpturein certain sections of Central Park, as well as all of Union Square Park, Battery Park and the High Line Park. While selling his work at Union Square on Sunday, Joel Kaye displays his displeasure with regulations on art vendors that take effect on Monday. According to the Department of Parks & Recreation Web site, the new rules will require vendors to sell their work in spots designated by the department. These 8-by-3-foot spots will be marked with parks department medallions, according to the site. In Union Square Park, 18 street artists will be allowed to sell their

work each day. An additional 40 vendors will be allowed to sell their pieces in the park on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, according to the parks department site. Robert Lederman, a street artist and president of Artists' response to Illegal State Tactics, described the regulations as "extremely restrictive," adding that nearly 100 artists typically sell their work in the Union Square Park each day. In an e-mail sent Saturday to nearly 1,500 of the city's street artists, Mr. Lederman encouraged vendors to protest the rules change by continuing to sell their pieces in Union Square Park. Mr. Lederman suggested artists sell their work outside of the marked spots or display their work without selling it. In the e-mail, Mr. Lederman, who said he has been arrested 43 times but never convicted of a crime, discouraged artists from breaking the law. * Lawsuit filed on June 18th to prevent enforcement of Park rules. Plaintiffs Robert Lederman and Jack Nesbitt. [Docket #10CV04800 Southern District Federal Court]. Lederman et al v. New York City Department of Parks and Recreation et al Link to full text of complaint: http://www.scribd.com/doc/33253915/COMPLAINT-Park-Rule-Web-Version http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/conlaw/2010/06/street-artists-in-new-york-city.html >>> NYC sued over proposed cap on art vendors in parks Associated Press Jun 18, 2010 9:43 PM NEW YORK Two street artists filed a free-speech lawsuit against New York City on Friday in response to new regulations seeking to cap the number of art vendors allowed in Manhattan's busiest parks. The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court, asks the court to declare the proposed regulations unconstitutional and award legal fees to the plaintiffs: Robert Lederman, the president of artist advocacy group A.R.T.I.S.T., and artist Jack Nesbitt. Lederman filed a similar lawsuit against the administration of then-mayor Rudy Giuliani in 2001, winning protections for artists selling their work in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, said his lawyer, Julie Milner. The lawsuit argues that the city's new proposal to allow only about 120 vendors in Union Square, Battery Park, the High Line Park and parts of Central Park seeks to circumvent that earlier ruling. Currently, about 300 art vendors sell their work in those parks. The lawsuit was filed Friday evening, Milner said. City Law Department spokeswoman Kate O'Brien Ahlers said the city had not yet received a copy but would review it thoroughly.

The city administration has said the parks have become too crowded, and even dangerous. But the lawsuit argues that greenmarket and holiday commercial vendors regularly create more congestion in the parks than the artists. The city slightly raised its proposed cap this week after opposition to the limits from artists. The new rule is scheduled to take effect July 19.<<< * Daily News Artists fight public hearing on vendor restrictions in parks with freedom of expression http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/04/24/2010-0424_artists_rip_restrictions_in_parks.html * NY Times 4/24/2010 (go to site for photos) http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/nyregion/24parks.html?ref=nyregion * NBC News http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/Artists-Protest--91921924.html (Has good video of the protest) Seeing Red: Artists Protest Changing Park Vendor Rules * FOX NEWS http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xd2ff9_fox-3-24-2010-protest_creation *** NY1News coverage of 4/23 ARTIST protest http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xd2dsw_3-24-2010-park-protest_creation (Important: Watch video and listen to Mayor Bloomberg pretend that this issue is about hot dog vendors, not artists. They must be desperate to do that much spinning!) * WPIX Channel 11 News NY http://www.wpix.com/news/local/wpix-art-vendors-protest,0,1765205.story OR, see it here: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xd2fn4_channel-11-artists_creation *Newsday Hundreds protest NYC proposal to limit art vendors http://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/hundreds-protest-nyc-proposal-to-limit-artvendors-1.1878569 * 1010WINS Radio News http://www.1010wins.com/Hundreds-Protest-NYC-Proposal-to-Limit-ArtVendors/6877955 * DNAinfo http://www.dnainfo.com/20100423/manhattan/hundreds-protest-plan-limit-vendors-

selling-art-parks (Excellent photo slideshow) * CURBED Hundreds Protest Plan to Limit Vendors Selling Art in Parks Updated 2 hrs ago April 23, 2010 http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2010/04/23/artists_creatively_trash_bloomberg_at_rally_a gainst_park_rules.php (Has good photos from the protest) Artists Creatively Trash Bloomberg at Rally Against Park Rules * NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/nyregion/23vendor.html?ref=nyregion April 22, 2010 Trailblazers Take on Limiting Vendors (Article about the poet on whose behalf the Written Matter Exemption was created) -----------------* DESTINATIONS EXAMINER Hundreds of street artists protest Parks Department plan, attend public hearing April 24, 2010 PMNY Destinations Examiner Leslie Koch http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-23890-NY-Destinations-Examiner~y2010m4d24Hundreds-of-street-artists-protest-Parks-Department-plan-attend-public-hearing-photos (This article has another photo slideshow with great individual photos of many artists you know and their signs) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brendan-smith/mayor-bloomberg-vsartist_b_556584.html Mayor Bloomberg vs Artists: The Battle for the Soul of New York City by Brendan Smith * Earlier Media Coverage of This Issue http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/17/nyregion/17artists.html NY Times April 16, 2010 City Seeks to Limit the Flocks of Art Vendors at Popular Sites in Parks http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/04/18/2010-04-18_figures_of_speech.html Daily News Editorials Figures of speech: New York Park's Dept. must put public above peddlers
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/City-Set-Give-Park-Art-the-Brush-Off-91047864.html

NBC News website City Set to Give Park Art the Brush Off By ANDREW SIFF and HASANI GITTENS Fri, Apr 16, 2010 NY Post April 16, 2010
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/city_seeks_park_curb_art_vendors_QXw8c2IjoDYBj3LJ6LGShN

Recording from WNYC radio 4/14/2010 Featuring Park Commissioner Adrian Benepe explaining his fundraising efforts in Parks. Robert Lederman calls in and challenges him. Benepe repeats his claim that Lederman is, just making things up, about replacing artists with concessions then admits he is putting concessions, Holiday Markets etc in the exact same Parks where artists now sell. The first few minutes deals with the Central Park tennis court bubble issue. Commissioner Benepe has a really insulting way of describing all street artists in parks as commercial vendors of junk. Give it a listen. You can play the radio interview here: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcy5bd_rl-benepe-wnyc-cut (a 30 second ad plays first) Or download it here: http://www.mediafire.com/?m2lgyyymvmg At this page, click on click here to start download. Ignore any pop up ads. Or listen and read the many comments here: Concession Money for Parks: Adrian Benepe confronted by Robert Lederman-WNYC http://beta.wnyc.org/shows/bl/2010/apr/14/money-parks/
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/05/artists-and-vendors-bristle-at-proposed-limits/

NY Times City Room April 5, 2010 Artists and Vendors Bristle at Proposed Limits in Parks NY Times City Room April 9, 2010 In Fight for Art Vendors, a Look to the Past Proof that the Parks Department ran a 160 stand art concession on Central Park South where they now claim only 5 artists can sell due to public safety issues.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/09/in-fight-for-art-vendors-a-look-to-the-past/#more-157209

**** NY1 News Park Comissioner Benepe blames Robert Lederman for new park rules
http://www.ny1.com/6-bronx-news-content/ny1_living/115958/vendors-critique-parks-officials--new-rulesfor-street-art

NY Daily News http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/03/27/2010-0327_parks_draws_up_plan_to_erase_artists_displays.html WBAI radio 3/26/2010 Click on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YljzQ1yYkic OR this one (a 15 second commercial precedes it)

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcqffy_wbai-report-on-new-park-rules-for-a_news You can also download it as a Quicktime mov. file here: http://www.mediafire.com/?n2d0zmm4mmm * NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/nyregion/23vendor.html?ref=nyregion April 22, 2010 Trailblazers Take on Limiting Vendors (This is an article about the poet on whose behalf the Written Matter Exemption was created, who now denounces street artists rights.) Documentary on Union Sq Park as a center for political activism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHXlLomoXIM DOT admits Greenmarket is actual the cause of congestion in USP http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-yniD3LGBI A Walk in the Park website http://awalkintheparknyc.blogspot.com/2010/03/art-vendors-criticize-parks-officials.html Lederman et al v Giuliani (2001) ruling overturning Park permits for artists Full ruling http://www.scribd.com/doc/33173357/Lederman-v-Giuliani-Ruling http://bluecollarpolitics.com/lederman/giuliani-artist-2001-ruling.html Injunction in Lederman et al v Giuliani http://www.scribd.com/doc/33173361/LvG-Injunction Contact info: Robert Lederman, president of ARTIST 201 896-1686 artistpres@gmail.com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nycstreetartists/ ARTIST group video history http://www.youtube.com/user/artistpres Attorney Julie Milner representing Robert Lederman 718 766-5242 julie.milner.law@gmail.com Parks Commissioner, Adrian Benepe Adrian.Benepe@parks.nyc.gov 212 360-1305 Alessandro Olivieri, Parks legal counsel Alessandro Olivieri@parks.nyc.gov 212 360-1313

Friends of the Highline (212) 206-9922 info@thehighline.org Geoffrey Croft NYC Park Advocates (212) 987-0565 Robert Lederman art portfolio http://www.mypublisher.com/?d=tq%3Ey-cppl%60je %3E3729%3A51&_mp=H7AuXkiYH/zBuvsLVueSqY4vWp9p3Z5u%0A Robert Lederman artistpres@gmail.com 201 896-1686 ARTIST POWER!