The ‘Butterfly Revolution’ of Washington Square: Artists Push Back Against Park Rules

On Wednesday evenings at 6, J. Eric Cook, 56, begins ringing his bell in Washington Square Park. It’s his way of reminding the crowd about what he calls the “ongoing, regular harassment of artists” by the parks department and the police. Along with Kanami Kusaijama, 26, an interpretative dancer, and other artists, he circles the iconic central fountain for six minutes. “We are living art!” they chant. “You are living art!” <img alt="" src="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:770/0*1zpV3_3pXXL9XUzN" style="height:467px; width:700px" /> A child rings a singing bowl during a “Butterfly Revolution” protest in Washington Square Park. Photos: Mukta Joshi Over recent weeks, these artists have transformed into organizers, conducting protests and meetings with City Council and park officials. They are trying to get the rules that govern them overhauled, or at least enforced differently. Artists say they are at constant risk of harassment or arrest by police, even as the city’s rules appear to prohibit many of their activities. The long-standing conflict between artists and the police has, over recent weeks, manifested as organized resistance. The movement stems from rules that artists <a href="https://www.csmonitor.com/1996/0214/14111.html" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">claim</a> violate their First Amendment rights. <a href="https://medium.com/labor-new-york/the-butterfly-revolution-of-washington-square-artists-push-back-against-park-rules-c836c7415b10">Click Here</a>