A vendor exercised his free speech rights in Union Square in May. Despite a State Judge ruling upholding last week's decision against the City and the Parks Department from enforcing parts of the new park vending rules, artists assert they are still be targeted. (photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Manhattan
Despite the issuance of two court orders temporarily restraining the city from enforcing new rules that curtail art vending in four city parks, Department of Parks & Recreation officials have continued to try to enforce them, artists say, according to City Limits.
Parks department officials issued court summonses to artists in Union Square and Central Park for allegedly violating the rules on the morning of August 26, the day after State Supreme Court Justice Martin Schoenfeld issued the first restraining order. Later that afternoon, the city rescinded those summonses, according to Elizabeth Thomas, a spokesperson for the city's Law Department.
But the city's enforcement efforts allegedly continued at least until Tuesday in Union Square, even after the issuance of a second court order, according to one artist, a woman in her mid-50s who regularly sells paintings and prints there. She asked to remain anonymous due to her involvement in an unrelated legal case. The artist says a group of parks department officials approached her to enforce the rules as she was setting up her display table Tuesday morning. When she told the officials that a judge had just ruled again in the artists' favor, one of them Googled her assertion for evidence. Eventually, they left her alone, she says.
Thomas did not respond to a request for confirmation of the incident, but says the city now plans to abide by the restraining order. "Everyone is working together to ensure that the temporary restraining order is appropriately enforced," she says.
Parks department officials issued court summonses to artists in Union Square and Central Park for allegedly violating the rules on the morning of August 26, the day after State Supreme Court Justice Martin Schoenfeld issued the first restraining order. Later that afternoon, the city rescinded those summonses, according to Elizabeth Thomas, a spokesperson for the city's Law Department.
But the city's enforcement efforts allegedly continued at least until Tuesday in Union Square, even after the issuance of a second court order, according to one artist, a woman in her mid-50s who regularly sells paintings and prints there. She asked to remain anonymous due to her involvement in an unrelated legal case. The artist says a group of parks department officials approached her to enforce the rules as she was setting up her display table Tuesday morning. When she told the officials that a judge had just ruled again in the artists' favor, one of them Googled her assertion for evidence. Eventually, they left her alone, she says.
Thomas did not respond to a request for confirmation of the incident, but says the city now plans to abide by the restraining order. "Everyone is working together to ensure that the temporary restraining order is appropriately enforced," she says.
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