U.S. – Protests in DC and New York

The hacktivist collective Anonymous is calling for a mass rally in New York City on Dec. 13, and civil rights organizations are planning a march in Washington, DC the same day. In NYC, demonstrators will rally at Washington Square Park starting at 1400 EST; a social media site indicates that at least 37,000 people plan to attend the event. For the Washington, DC action, participants will gather at Freedom Plaza at 1030 EST before marching to an unannounced location at 1200 EST. Several prominent civil rights activists will address participants in Washington, DC, increasing the profile of the demonstration. Organizers plan to bus in out-of-area demonstrators to facilitate participation at the event, which could also draw a large crowd of potentially tens of thousands of people. A heavy police presence, which has also been a regular feature at previous similar rallies, is likely. Potentially large crowds, coupled with heightened security, will likely lead to transportation disruptions that could disrupt traffic and public bus routes. The New York City Subway and Washington, DC Metro could become overcrowded, as participants will likely use the public transit systems to travel to rallies.