City To Impose Ban On Street Fairs

During GOP Convention

City street fairs will be banned in late August and early September during
the Republican National Convention.

Newsday reports the ban will be enforced because the Police Department will
be stretched thin during the Convention.Street fairs usually require two officers for every intersection and more
officers to patrol the crowd.

Police say there just won't be enough police available to fulfill those
requirements, with upwards of 10,000 officers needed to secure Madison
Square Garden and the surrounding arena.

The city says fairs scheduled during the time of the convention will not be
rescheduled, rather than cancelled. Block parties will still permitted to
take place as scheduled.

According to Newsday, the city says some 14 fairs were forced to reschedule,
but festival organizers say the rescheduling forced other fairs to move
their dates, so the number is actually higher.