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First Night stuff

Schedule of events.

T schedules (free after 8 p.m.)

List of street closures.

First Night Against Police Violence die in planned for 5 p.m. in Copley Square.

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Comments

Does anyone know if the kids' parade is going to be delayed because of the protesters?

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The die-in will be in front of the Dartmouth Street entrance to the BPL. The parade is on Boylston Street. The Facebook event encourages people to join the parade after the protest ends.

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Disclaimer: I am all for freedom of expression. I have been part of more than my fair share of protests and completely and absolutely support trying to rectify injustice in the world.

But why this? Why Boston where we have two police officers in the hospital today because they were ambushed by nine men while serving a warrant? Why do it where kids could be wandering around with their parents taking in the sights and sounds of a festival?

I'm sure there will be hundreds of police officers in the area for First Night. Heaven forbid that anyone from either side gets a little too antsy and push comes to shove or worse.

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Because the protest doesn't mean anything anymore, it's just a fun thing for kids to do to be noticed and have smug pictures taken for facebook and college resumes but also not risk reprisal for an actual act of protest. That the facebook post would say "come lie on the ground for a bit then forget about the cause and march in a fun parade" shows how little this matters.

Same shit as the ice bucket challenge. Very few if any of these people gave a shit about ALS before, but they do this thing because it's a chance to feed their egotism and be a part of a media phenomenon under the guise of "awareness" which doesn't actually cause any change but carries the pride effect of feeling like something was accomplished.

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Who participated in the ALS "Ice Bucket Challenge" still have no idea what ALS is.

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"Same shit as the ice bucket challenge. Very few if any of these people gave a shit about ALS before"

I was with you in your rant up until here. Check your facts. TONS of people did give a shit and donated a huge chunk of money, so the ice bucket challenge was indeed a success.

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It was a success, as a meme and for a majority of one time donations (are there statistics anywhere of donations over time before/during/after?). I bet most who donated once won't again if a viral meme isn't around.

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I came across this article when the frenzy was all over the place The cold, hard truth about the ice bucket challenge

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Interesting article. Explains one reason why people patting themselves on the back riding bicycles then proceed to violate far more road rules than if driving - as just one demonstration of moral licensing.

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... go...away.

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The ice bucket challenge was gimmicky, but used social media to coerce people to actually donate money..and it succeeded in raising $100 million for research.

This is just kids blocking traffic.

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Way to go! Brava!

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Per the link above.

"Join us on Wednesday, First Night, in Copley Square.

At 5:00 PM we will be holding a Mass Die-in in front of the Boston Public Library - Copley Square

2:30 PM - 3:00 Gather at Boston Public Library

3:00 March around the First Night activities

4:30 Return to the Boston Public Library in Copley Square

5:00 We will hold our die-in

After the die-in those who wish to remain will join the parade at 6:00 PM and march until 7:00 PM

All are welcome. Let's make this a First Night that everyone will remember."

They plan on being A-Hols!

I wonder what they'll being screaming while joining the parade, or what childrens events they'll interrupt while sashaying around from 3-4:30. And 2 hrs in front of arguably the main attraction of First Night, the ice sculptures.

People have had enough, BPD time to stop this! You've given them an inch, now they've taken a mile.

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inside the Hynes Convention Center. Nobody gets into the Hynes without a First Night button. I'd guess that they plan to march around outside the Hynes, which is not going to disrupt anything.

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Definitely not primarily an indoor event. If you've ever been to First Night, you'd know that thousands of people are outside on the streets of Boston watching the parade, looking at ice sculptures and the holiday lights, listening to music that's played at different outdoor locations, ice skating on the Frog Pond, walking in the Public Garden and the Boston Common, walking between events spread across the city, watching the fireworks, and in general enjoying being outside with bunch of other people having fun being in Boston for New Year's Eve. Once you're finished with the die-in, you should join in the good natured celebrations, music, arts and culture!

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Many of the activities you describe – parades, lights, fireworks – occur in the evening. His comment was about events occurring in the afternoon.

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... but it doesn't actually accomplish anything, does it. These spoiled brats need to re-direct their energies toward helping the people they are supposedly marching for. Ruining children's tree lightings and family parades and blocking access to hospitals and major thoroughfares is NOT helping anyone.

Here's a thought: raise money for local charities or volunteer for local organizations that actually make a positive impact on people's lives. Oh, but that would involve actual hard work, time, effort and dedication. It's much less glamorous to post a selfie at a soup kitchen or a local park cleanup than a selfie in posh Copley Sq. with ice sculptures pretty holiday lights.

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Have you ever actually spoken to any of them?

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If you had known of an organized effort by the protesters to volunteer locally or donate money to local charities, then wouldn't you have posted about it on this site?

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That doesn't prove anything. I'm also not the one making accusations about what protesters do with the rest of their lives.

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Have already had friends tell me they and their families are bypassing Boston this year because of the protest. Nice going guys....

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Read the FB page. They are having their "die in" at 5PM it will be done by 7PM. Avoiding the entire First Night celebration because of this is ridiculous. It looks like only 215 people are going anyway. I'm taking a car load of kids to the fireworks at 6. The protesters will do their thing and I will do mine.

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they also plan on marching around First Nigh from 3pm-4:30pm protesting!

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Oh no! Not that!!! Children being able to see citizens of the Commonwealth exercising their right to peacefully protest a systemic issue in our culture? *clutches pearls* I am so terrified!

Honestly, I would be more concerned about the weather than the protesters. And the possibility of someone falling into the Harbor at the Aquarium during the fireworks.

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I'm taking a car load of kids to the fireworks at 6

Have fun, but make it a point to start out for the fireworks with the load of kids you're taking earlier than you normallyt would, so that you won't end up getting delayed by detours that result when the street-closings, including the one(s) for the planned "die-in" protest being held down town, even if you and the kids get to the area where the fireworks are being held early, and you need to hang around for awhile prior to the fireworks. Better early than late, as some people say.

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No extra streets are going to be closed because of protesters because all the streets along Boylston are already closed for the parade.

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If you're going to drive into Boston for the 7 pm fireworks, you'll have trouble reaching the Boston Common garage with all the street closures and the parade. Better to drive to a T station, park the car there, and take the subway into town.

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This:

No extra streets are going to be closed because of protesters because all the streets along Boylston are already closed for the parade.

is something I'm already aware of, so don't get feeling too snotty...or virtuous.

Besides, where I live, thank heavens, while it's comfortable and snug, is NOT in the suburbs, and I'm glad of it!

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Why don't you just stay nice and snug in your suburban home?

Really? Is that necessary?

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He lives in a suburb after all right? Rozzie or Hyde Park?

:)

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The only people sitting out first night this year on account of the protests were people who weren't going to go anyway and looking for a excuse. The cold weather will keep people home, not some harmless people sitting in the street.

Regarding the protests, I'm not going to lie in the middle of the street myself but I'm passively sympathetic to the protests. Just today the Globe published an article showing how BPD is actively shielding cops busted for drunk driving. These are cops who have caused property damage and sometimes physical injuries. Just because "cops have a hard job" it makes it OK for them look the other way when one of their own drives drunk?

I generally think BPD is doing a good job -- much better then in the past. But if takes theatrics like lying in the middle of the street to keep the public aware the police are given a tremendous amount of privilege compared to the general public then so be it. When the police department honestly reprimands (AKA fires) bad cops I'll start saying the protests should end.

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of a street, in order for the die-in to take place, and then re-route the traffic around it, like any other protest. It's a whole other matter to let people become totally anarchic and tie up the entire city. The cops did not handle the last protests very well, which is precisely why there were so many problems.

I recognize the fact that, even protests, when done in an organized manner, through the proper channels, can and will cause a certain amount of disruption and inconvenience, but when it's really excessive, like a lof of them have been, especially when they've resulted in the blocking of access to a hospital (i. e. Boston Medical Center, for example, as well as afew hospitals off of I-95 South, in the Providence area, then it's out of bounds, imho.

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Take a look at Adam's link. Dartmouth Street in front of the BPL is already closed for First Night, starting at 11 am. Boylston Street is closed starting at 4 pm. The protest isn't going to cause any traffic problems that aren't already there from these street closures which happen every year on New Year's Eve.

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So they can come march around your neighborhood instead.

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:D

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NIMBY protesting...

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Frank Rizzo to welcome these miscreants into 2015.

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the MBTA misses a great marketing opportunity by not having free fares ALL DAY on New Year's Eve. This would encourage more people to not only take the T, but to go into Boston prior to the start of the First Night events - and likely spend time shopping or at restaurants.

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first night is something that somebody should go to exactly once in their lives and then never again, it's that bad

so i don't really care if a bunch of people and their kids have to witness protestors playing dead, it turns out

free t is always cool though

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Don't go. More room for the rest of us. In exchange, I'll stay away from the Esplanade on July 4th. Deal?

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i always try to get an early jump on my year-long grouchiness, bah humbug

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I guess if you don't like incredible performances of live music and dance for only $10 then you should stay home and watch re-runs on tv. Sad.

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You can't fault for the reruns, Stooges marathon!

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re-runs are one of life's pleasures so not really sad, as mentioned the stooges marathon is the best

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used to be good, when the independent Channel 38 actually bothered to show the shorts full length with minimal commercials and without the obnoxious hosts.

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Figured I'd see if anyone here knows the answer to this -

I will be spending New Year's Eve in Boston, coming in on the commuter rail. When possible, I like to bring my bike so I can ride to my final destination rather than dealing with the T (biking is a reliable 15 minutes whereas the T can be 40-70 minutes depending on delays and transfers).

However, http://mbta.com/events/ says that

Customers should please note that bicycles are prohibited on all inbound Commuter Rail trains between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Is this in addition to the normal peak hour prohibition, or does that not still apply? I had assumed the peak hour prohibition was still in effect since it's a weekday schedule, which means no bikes before 9 am.

So does this mean that I can only bring my bike if I ride the train between 9 and 10 am? Do I have to arrive in Boston by 10 am?

I figure someone on here has probably done this before and would know the answer.

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Protestors planning to intentionally disrupt a family event... and this gets what point across? Pretending to die near a parade for children that many inner city kids are marching in is disrespectful to those kids. These kids have done NOTHING wrong and selfish protestors are determined to ruin what is supposed to be the celebratory culmination of all of their hard work. I can only hope that the number of people cheering on these kids far outweighs any angry ranting that the protestors will be doing to ruin the parade. What a shame and how hateful.

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Thank you Nancy Grace for reminding us that an all day event that goes until midnight is a CHILDREN'S event!

Oh, and there was no disruption to the tree lighting, in case you bother to look up the news stories.

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All of the people on here protesting about the protesters as "not actually doing anything useful".

Adorable!

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Does anyone know a good spot to watch the Boston Harbor Fireworks at midnight? Or any idea where in the harbor the barge will be located?

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on the water-side of the Federal Courthouse. This will be less crowded than Rowes Wharf or Long Wharf.

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I wonder why they don't at least run the key buses on their weekend late night schedule. Would certainly help with crowds.

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