Sources say OWS chained open emergency gates
Comments (7)BY PETE DONOHUE / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published: Wednesday, March 28, 2012, 11:27 AM
Updated: Wednesday, March 28, 2012, 5:00 PM
PETE DONOHUE FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Occupy Wall Street protesters posted fake signs and chained open emergency exit gates in eight subway stations on Wednesday morning, allowing riders to enter for free.
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PETE DONAHUE
A padlocked emergency gate allowed some straphangers a free ride on Wednesday.
PETE DONAHUE
Police and transit sources said thick chains with padlocks were discovered on the gates at eight stations.
Occupy Wall Street protesters chained open emergency exit gates in eight subway stations Wednesday morning, allowing riders to enter for free, sources said.
Fliers posted in the subway stations also called for “general strike” on May 1.
“No housework. No shopping. No banking. No school. No work,” one flier declared, using the symbols of the numbered lines to make a list.
The posters were professionally made and were designed in the style of MTA notices to riders.
A “communique” on Twitter from the “Rank and File Initiative” claimed activists chained open gates at more than 20 stations.
“This morning before rush hour, teams of activists, many from Occupy Wall Street, in conjunction with rank and file workers from the Transport Workers Union Local 100 and the Amalgamated Transit Union, opened up more than 20 stations across the city for free entry,” the statement said. “No property was damaged. Teams have chained open service gates and taped up turnstiles in a coordinated response to escalating service cuts, fare hikes, racist policing, assaults on transit workers’ working conditions and livelihoods — and the profiteering of the super-rich by way of a system they’ve rigged in their favor.”
Police and transit sources said thick chains with padlocks were discovered on the gates at the following stations: 135th St. on the No. 3 and 116th St. on the No. 6 in Manhattan; Halsey St. on the L, Ninth Ave. on the D, Beverly Road on the Q and Carroll St. on the F in Brooklyn, and Steinway St. and 65th St. on the R in Queens, sources said.
Police are investigating but have not made any arrests. They are also probing whether transit workers were involved.
The first chained exit was discovered about 5 a.m. Most chains were cut and removed by 8:30 a.m., sources said.
Each gate was open for at least an hour, the sources said.
After the first discovery, transit staff and the police did a sweep through the subway system looking for others.
Transport Workers Union Local 100 is in contract negotiations with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which maintains its $16 billion budget has no extra dough for even cost-of-living increases.
Local 100 has come out in support of the OWS message that the working and middle classes have suffered because of the financial industry's excesses and fraud.
TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen said his organization was not involved in the subway.
"We knew nothing about it," he said.
Occupy Wall Street protesters came to the MTA monthly board meeting at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday and complained about the agency letting the NYPD use city buses and drivers to transport those arrested at OWS protests like the March 17 gathering at Zuccotti Park in the Financial District.
"This has been a gross abuse of power and a gross abuse of public resources," said protester Shawn Carrié, who was busted on St. Patrick’s Day.
MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota said he approves of providing such assistance to the NYPD determines is needed. Drivers who object can refuse as the Police Department has officers trained to drive buses, Lhota said after the board meeting.
The MTA and police regularly work together in emergency evacuations, he said, citing 9/11 and Hurricane Irene as examples of the agencies' history of working together.
with Rocco Parascandola
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/subway-gates-chained-open-allowing-riders-free-6-stations-article-1.1051974#ixzz1qU0jB9xz
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