Work continues around the clock this weekend as the city cuts down more trees in the southern portion of East River Park — despite the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) in place to halt the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency project.
Activists, who have been protesting as the work proceeds south of Stanton Street to Montgomery Street, say that the city is moving quickly to demolish as much as they can before tomorrow when the Court of Appeals is expected to act on the contempt citation
East River Park Action attorneys sent to Albany.
As of this morning, witnesses say that the work
has reached the amphitheater. Activists from East River Park Action and
@1000people1000trees are calling a meeting at 2 this afternoon at the amphitheater.
Demonstrations continued yesterday south of the East Houston Street entrance... (
photos below by Stacie Joy)...
During a rally/press conference, Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou, who represents the Lower East Side, called on Mayor Bill de Blasio to immediately stop the tree-cutting.
"I'm appalled that the mayor and his team would toss aside a temporary restraining order granted by the Court of Appeals, but this is sadly emblematic of elected officials who view themselves as above the law and above accountability," Niou said at the rally, as quoted by
the Post.
During the press conference, attendees could view the ongoing tree cutting...
More pointed comments were directed toward the outgoing mayor, dubbed "Bulldozer Bill."
"It's fairly unusual that orders of the court are disobeyed," said Arthur Schwartz, one of the pro-bono attorneys working on behalf of the activists. As
The Village Sun quoted: "Bill de Blasio wants to just get this done and in the ground before Eric Adams is mayor. He wants to make sure Eric Adams doesn't have any way to deal with it."
On Wednesday, Court of Appeals Judge Rowan Wilson issued the TRO. According to East River Park Action, who has been opposed to the city's current plan for the park, the TRO remains in effect at least until the next hearing on Dec. 20.
The city's interpretation of the TRO is different.
Per NY1: "The city has reviewed the Court's written order and we do not believe it prevents us from continuing work on this vital resiliency project," said Ian Michaels, the head of public information for the Department of Design and Construction, which is overseeing the project.
As former judge Kathryn Freed, another attorney for East River Park, told the Sun: "The city is just being willfully obtuse. … They're betting that if they cut down half of the trees, we'll just go away. It's pretty evil. And what they've done to this community, it's pretty evil."
City Comptroller Scott Stringer is also questioning the city's actions right now.
East River Park north of Houston Street remains open.
Top photo by @1000people1000trees
Previously on EV Grieve: