Clarkstown board looks to make protests safer at Four Corners amid skepticism
News 12 checked in with town leaders who said they have been floating ideas to make protests safer at Route 59 and Middletown Road, also known as Four Corners. Their political opponents and some local activists are questioning their motive.
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Clarkstown officials said Monday news stories and social media posts about the town considering new rules and time restrictions for protests at a Nanuet intersection are taking their comments out of context.
News 12 checked in with town leaders who said they have been floating ideas to make protests safer at Route 59 and Middletown Road, also known as Four Corners.
Their political opponents and some local activists are questioning their motive.
After a resident testified at two recent town board meetings that counter-protesters do not have a safe place to demonstrate, town board members started brainstorming ideas to improve safety.
The resident said protests are held across the busy intersection from the small park on the northeast corner.
Democratic state assemblyman and former town board member Patrick Carroll was skeptical when he heard that the board had discussed alternative protest locations and the possibility of restricting protest hours.
"Now that the protests have turned toward the national stage with the current president," he said, "I think that the Republican administration of Clarkstown is now taking issue with those protestors and wants to silence those voices."
Town Supervisor George Hoehmann, a Republican, said he has no plans to try to infringe on anyone's free speech rights.
He said the testimony about safety of counter-protesters made the board think more about safety and the overtime the town spends on overtime for police officers to monitor the protests.
Hoehmann said the town paid officers a combined $37,000 in the last year.
"Who should bear that cost?" Hoehmann said Monday in an interview at his office. "And frankly, is it a safe location, or do there need to be enhancements made? If enhancements need to be made to the roadway, who's going to pay for it?"
Several residents and owners of nearby businesses told News 12 they have not noticed any major safety issues at the intersection.
Four Corners has become strongly associated with free speech as it has been the site of demonstrations on war, polices and presidents for decades.
"I've lived here for many years," John Speight said as he pumped his gas across Route 59 from the park, "and I don't find the protests hamper anything or endanger anyone."
"Safety is important," Herbert Gonzalez said, "but they should be allowed to express themselves."
Activist groups are planning protests this Saturday at Four Corners and next Monday outside Clarkstown Town Hall.
