Bleep Park News Today

Of the largest inner-city photograph collections of anybody. i used to know everybody that went by. that neighborhood thing is like really important to me. so i photographed the puerto ricans, the dominicans. drag queens from the pyramid club. basically the whole hardcore scene in 87. i was more interested in like the eccentric people, the unique people. >> anthony: you were at the battle of tompkins square park, which is sort of the gettysburg of the lower east side. i remember it had essential...

>> anthony: you were at the battle of tompkins square park, which is sort of the gettysburg of the lower east side. i remember it had essentially become clogged with nodding junkies, homeless people who set up permanent camps. >> clayton: it was dangerous. >> anthony: it was genuinely dangerous. when the police came down and decided to clean the park, the question is, who won? >> clayton: well, in the beginning, we did. >> its our [ bleep ] park. its our [ bleep ] park. its our [ bleep ] park! >...

>> clayton: i probably have one of the largest inner-city photograph collections of anybody. i used to know everybody that went by. that neighborhood thing is like really important to me. so i photographed the puerto ricans, the dominicans. drag queens from the pyramid club. basically the whole hardcore scene in 87. i was more interested in like the eccentric people, the unique people. >> anthony: you were at the battle of tompkins square park, which is sort of the gettysburg of the lower east s...

>> its our [ bleep ] park. its our [ bleep ] park. its our [ bleep ] park! >> clayton: you know you have to remember in 1988 they couldnt close a 10 1/2-acre square park on the lower east side. not with 450 riot cops, horses, helicopters. they couldnt do it. >> were going to defend the city. >> we dont got no weapons. they got 9mms down there. shotguns and machine guns. >> clayton: there were big bonfires on the middle of avenue a, buses couldnt come down, cars couldnt come down, they were stuck...

Decided to clean the park, the question is, who won? >> clayton: well, in the beginning, we did. >> its our [ bleep ] park. its our [ bleep ] park. its our [ bleep ] park! >> clayton: you know you have to remember in 1988 they couldnt close a 10 1/2-acre square park on the lower east side. not with 450 riot cops, horses, helicopters. they couldnt do it. >> were going to defend the city. >> we dont got no weapons. they got 9mms down there. shotguns and machine guns. >> clayton: there were big bon...