Who would have thought that people who gather at NYC’s public parks to sell their paintings and photography would mind being forced into a designated area?

The new rules, approved some months ago, are meant to keep the artists from causing congestion in four popular city parks. The artists say it is an affront to free speech.

“We’re going to stay inside this park and away from the marked spaces,” said Robert Lederman, an organizer of an advocacy group called Artist. “We’re going to defy the mayor and we’re going to defy the parks department.”

The artists took the city to court over the rules, which, in the case of Union Square, limit the number of artists selling their wares to 18 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but lost when a judge found that the rule was reasonable.

The artists plan to appeal, but in the meantime can be found waving signs and writing passages from the constitution on the sidewalk, says the NYT. We wish them luck.

Vendors Thumb Nose at City Restriction [NYT]

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