Iraq War
I knew it was futile to go to this big rally in union Square in New York, but the run up to this war under the presidency of George W. Bush was INSANE. It had nothing to do with 9/11, and the assurance that there were “Weapons of Mass Destruction” was flimsy. Thousands gathered to protest the inevitable, doomed, deadly war in 2003.
Union Square, Manhattan, protest against the impending Iraq War with sign of an elephant pooping bombs.
Patriots against the Patriot Act 2004
It’s still a thing
Demonstrators dressed as 18th Century American Revolutionaries demonstrate in front of City Hall in 2003. They favored a resolution before the New York City Council supporting restoration of civil liberties curtailed by the government since Sept. 11, 2001. Despite the City Council passing the resolution in 2004–and more than 250 other cities and three states, provisions of the Patriot Act remain in effect in 2022. Left to right: Kelly Moore, Stephen Duncombe, Sydney Railla-Duncombe (aged 4 months), Bob Lesko.
Objections are still relevant. See https://www.aclu.org/other/surveillance-under-usapatriot-act.
Occupy Wall Street, 2011
Occupy Wall Street was a brave attempt to gain a voice for the 99 percent of us who have little power or money or justice. Tax the rich! Health care! Immigrant Rights! Anti-war! It was a big, raucous, spirited participatory movement. I thought the demands were too diffuse to have an effect. But it was grand during the many months in 2011 when people took over the block-wide Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan near Wall Street. People pitched tents and lived there protesting every day. I took pictures for some of the labor unions who participated in the marches and sometimes I just went down there and visited. Here are some of the photos.
Occupy Wall Street protesters, 2011 
Occupy Wall Street marchers in downtown Manhattan, Sept. 2011 
TWU (Transit Workers Union) members with a Workers Rights are Human Rights sign at a Occupy Wall Street protest, 2011. 
Occupy protest at 1 police Plaza, Manhattan, 2011 
“I am the 99%” says the button worn by this Occupy Wall Street protester at Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan, 2011. 
Occupy Wall Street information table, Zuccotti Park, 2011 
“Wall Street Stole My Pension” sign held by Miriam Cantor, a victim of Bernie Madoff’s massive fraud. She was my neighbor, and I drew a comic book about her dramatic life and death: https://arnowcomics.com 
“We are all the 99%” sign at an Occupy Wall Street protest, 1 Police Plaza, Manhattan 
Photographer getting harassed by police at an Occupy Wall Street protest. The cops had just shoved me off those stairs. My gray hair did not save me from being pushed around hard. 
Granny Peace Brigade at Occupy Wall Street march 
Protester in an Occupy Wall Street March from Washington Heights, Nov., 2011 
During Occupy Wall Street in 2011, protesters marched over to 1 Police Plaza for a demonstration.
More photos
Political Portraits
Politicians including Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu fundraising in Brooklyn between the times he was Prime Minister, former New York City Mayors Ed Koch and Michael Bloomberg, Sen. Chuck Schumer, Sen. Edward Kennedy and more.
Activists
Demonstrations, protests, marches, lots of signs. Does taking to the streets make a difference?
80 Faces
Take a scroll through a sampler of famous, infamous and other Interesting people. I took most on assignment 2008-10 in my labor union work. They include Hillary Clinton, Charlie Rangel, Sheldon Silver (politician/felon), Eliot Spitzer (politician/felon), James Hoffa Jr., Holly Hunter, Fred Armisen, Seth Meyers, Steve Buscemi, Ed Koch, David Dinkins, David Paterson, Celeste Holm, LeRoy Nieman, John Stossel, Donna Lieberman (NYCLU), Randi Weingarten (AFT) and many more, all in a close-up view.
Photos from The Chief
Newspaper about the city workers’ unions, 2003-2008–the good side of some police, firefighters, and Mayor Bloomberg.