Revolution #015, September 25, 2005, posted at revcom.us
Sunday, September 11, 2005. At 3 p.m., musicians with trumpets, trombones, saxophones, clarinets, tubas, accordions, and drums and percussion of every variety start showing up at Washington Square Park in downtown New York City. Pretty soon, 400 people with black umbrellas, costumes, and signs are stepping off behind a black coffin held aloft marked “New Orleans.” Snaking around the park fountain, the Jazz Funeral Procession sways to a slow dirge, then breaks into “When They Saints Go Marching In,” the crowd dancing, singing, hand-waving, as layer upon layer of horns belts out the passions of the gathering.
The procession was organized by The World Can’t Wait—Drive Out the Bush Regime and musicians, critics, publicists and radio DJ’s across the city. The call to musicians went out Wednesday, and by Friday thousands in the jazz community and way beyond all the way to California and New Orleans, had heard about it by phone, email and radio announcements.
It was a beautiful, soulful and powerful procession, anchored by members of bands like Hungry March Band, the Big Apple Circus Band, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and other professional jazz players. The unforgettable scene moved many to tears and attracted a crowd of photographers, film crews, moms with strollers, kids on skateboards. (Watch the video at: worldcantwait.net/news/WCWnews/hurricane_video.php)
But within minutes, the march was face to face with dozens of cops in formation, physically blockading people from leaving the park. They threatened to arrest everyone—and were clearly ready to do just that, holding batons and handfuls of plastic “riot cuffs.” Behind them were paddy-wagons with the doors open.
People were trapped, but who wanted to go home?! Lacking a megaphone or permission to move, a “portage” to the next park was organized on the spot. Within 45 minutes a big portion of the procession reassembled 10 blocks away at Union Square, and soon they were off again— hundreds strong in a proud march around the park, horns soaring, undeterred by the buzzing police motorcycles trying to pen them in.
This beautiful outpouring of people’s spirit, music, and mourning demonstrated in microcosm the powerful basis in this moment to rapidly build a movement that can drive the Bush regime out—and the urgent necessity to do this. The raw display of police force (and the media white-out of the procession) is a harbinger of the severe new norms being bolted into place right now. It was also an open admission of their fear of this political message finding its way into the streets where it could connect deeply and spark resistance, something which—in this politically parched and fraught time period—could spread like wildfire.
The whole world is watching the people of New Orleans starve and perish in their homes or be warehoused in shelters—while Bush offers smirks and occupying armies. And musicians are not even allowed to march in New York City to demand an end to the government repression in New Orleans and that people’s needs be met.
But march they did, eloquently expressing their sorrow and love for the people of New Orleans, and holding the regime accountable for towering crimes.
It’s likely that the city has not heard the last from these musicians. Stay tuned.