Saddle swore
Horse folk curse, harass us: pro-ban activists
IN THE LATEST legal salvo in the ongoing battle over the city’s horse carriages, anti-carriage protesters say they are being harassed and assaulted by drivers and their supporters for lawfully exercising their First Amendment right.
The activists made that charge — backed with video — after a Central Park carriage company sued them last month in Manhattan Supreme Court.
Central Park Sightseeing LLC asked a judge to impose limits on the protesters, who they say are costing them money in the form of lost business by screaming at tourists looking to pay for an iconic ride, according to legal papers.
On Thursday, the animal rights activists bucked back in court.
“It is the horse carriage drivers and their supporters that engage in disruptive, vile and harassing behavior toward the protesters, not the other way around,” the motion by New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets (NYCLASS) said.
Activist Michael Dolling was called a derogatory term for a gay man by horse carriage drivers, “and one has stated with bluster that he would rape (his) mother,” the court papers say.
A supporter of the drivers harassed activist Jill Carnegie, telling her, “Go home and make babies,” “You’re angry ’cause you don’t have a boyfriend,” and “You’re a witch,” the legal documents say.
At one point, the driver supporter tore flyers from her hand, “causing physical injury that necessitated police involvement after Ms. Carnegie did nothing more than talk to a family that was receptive to her message,” the legal brief alleges.
Supporters of the carriage drivers say they are the ones being attacked and harassed.
“The drivers are stationary,” said Hakan Ugdur, the owner of Central Park Sightseeing.
“They are not moving anywhere. When the protesters cross the line, most of the stuff is reaction to that.”
Videos of one incident cited in the December suit filed by his firm show an angry, bearded protester get right in the face of a carriage driver, screaming repeatedly, “What are you going to do about it? I am on the street. You can’t do anything about it! What can you possibly do about it?”
Another protester was arrested and charged with assaulting a 55-year-old driver in October.
NYCLASS said that that protester, Edward Sullivan, isn’t affiliated with the group, and that the demonstrators are the ones being assailed.
“The evidence here shows this lawsuit is nothing but a pretext, and they are just trying to prevent the protesters from legitimately exercising their First Amendment rights,” said lawyer Joel Kirtzberg.
“If anything, the evidence shows that they are the ones assaulting and harassing protesters, not the other way around.”