=============================== Gotham Gazette =============================== Message: 10/36 Posted Author GOTHAM PARENTS LEAGUE TO HOLD RALLYSun Jun 15 Anonymous ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ <> Headline: GOTHAM PARENTS LEAGUE TO HOLD RALLY Smaller Headline: "Joker has brought children's issues to the fore" says President The Gotham Parents League, a self-described conservative action group, has, in the wake of the stunning news that the latest crime wave apparently orchaestrated by the insane crimelord known as the Joker , announced that they intend to "take the greatest advantage of this opportunity" today at a press conference. The President of the GPL, Marian Tinsdale, said that the Joker's latest spree "has brought children's issues to the fore. His psychotic actions cannot of course be defended, but there is truth in his ravings: Gotham's children have been mistreated. They have been exposed to things that no children should be, and Gotham's parents must act." The shocking announcement brought on immediately a firestorm of controversy. A source at GPL said that favorable calls were outnumbering unfavorable calls by about two to one, prompting a second announcement later in the evening, that the Gotham Parent's League would hold a rally downtown tomorrow afternoon to "show the full extent of our commitment to save Gotham's children." <> ============================================================================== The rally has traffic snarled throughout midtown Gotham: orange traffic cones and barricades have isolated a long block of street and sidewalk, where a platform has bene hastily erected. The letters 'GPL' are large behind the podium. A bright white set of letters across the bottom of the stage reads 'Gotham Parent's League'. The crowd is already large, and growing: curiosity-seekers, true-believers distributing glossy pamphlets...a few stacks of books are piled up a short distance from the platform, thoug h what they are intended for isn't at once obvious. The hour of the rally approaches and the crowd swells. A few protest signs appear, as do a few harried-looking GCPD officers in uniform. Other signs are hoisted: 'Save our Kids' or 'Keep Gotham Safe'...the crowd moves restlessly around. Robin rests hidden in a rooftop position where he can survey the entire crowd. The Question moves in the shadows of an alley towards the site, keeping his face, or lack of it, from entering the light. Car held up in traffic, a quiet look of disgust crosses over one particular officer's face. Sarah speaks quietly to her partner, for the day, before the car slows to a stop, the door being yanked open, as she steps out, shutting the door behind her. Quick ly darting through the crowd, she moves towards a few officers, talking to both, as the car moves on ahead, finding a parking space in the rush. The Question moves in closer to the crowd, pulling his hat down low. Murmurings of the crowds burble out: "Can you believe these people?..." "Well, of -course- he's crazy..." "Can you see?..." "Look at that sign..." "...shut up!..." "Hey, look..." "...should be chasing the Joker..." "...sure, he's crazy, but there's someth ing..." "Give me that book..." Suddenly a whine emerges from the loudspeakers that have been erected next to the platform, and a middle-aged woman steps up to the podium. Without introduction or any preliminary words, she raises an arm and says into the m icrophone: "Parents of Gotham..." the speakers repeat, echoey and over-loud, "Are we going to stand by and let our children be abused?" (used used...) and then the echo is swallowed up in the roar of the crowd that suddenly blatss upwards: hundreds of sig ns are lifted in support of the GPL, a few scattered boos and hisses rush like snakes through the crowd. A shout during the next pause: "Siddown ya ho!" A round chorus of boos erupts at the heckler, as well as some ominous mutterings in his direction. The offcers Sarah speaks to nod solemnly to her, before moving off more into the crowd, keeping a good eye out for any 'trouble' that might arise. Letting out a deep sigh, one hand runs throuh her hair, the sunlight catches the golden tint as the curls bo unce around her shoulders. Gaze snapping to the speaker, before her eyes move through the crowd, well trained orbs scan as many as she can, her expression grim. The speaker grins down in the direction of the heckler, and just continues, looking down at her notecards. The Question moves into the crowd now, keeping his collar up, and his hat brim pulled down. Staying more on the outskirts of the crowd, Sarah keeps her distance. A few more officers move through the crowd, though most, that are here, keep to the sides as well. For the number of GCPD that are present, they look to be a tired group, though still k nowing their jobs, as they keep watchful eyes on the crowd. She introduces herself as Marian Tinsdale, president of the Gotham Parent's League. "And," she says, "I'm not here to talk to you about the Joker." oker oker oker oker. "Because criminals like him deserve to be put to death...they shouldn't even be allowe d to be buried with good Christian people!" she says emphatically, gathering another round of cheers and boos, though somewhat lessenned on both ends. Then she puts both her hands on the podium and leans forward. "I'm here to tell you, though, that if the re was ever a method in his horrible madness, that time is now!" OW OW Ow ow ow....Lots of cheers, lots of boos... The Question mutters... "Wonderful...the freaks are rallying behind the freak.." Tinsdale looks triumphant. "Television destroys our children's brains, airing any disgusting trash that will sell! The average Gotham child sees eighteen thousand -murders- on television before they are twelve!" she shouts. "The Joker could never -hope- t o kill that many! Who is the greater criminal, then? Our children are being abused, and we -will not stand for it anymore-!" This prompts another eruption of cheering, and waving of signs...someone on the edge of the crowd leaps up onto a fire hydrant, wa ving a 'GPL Is A Joker Stooge' sign and teeters dangerously there. The Question says "Oh..wonderful...give him a goal.." The Question rubs his non-existant eyebrows... Robin grins at this, and wonders if the 'good Christian people' of the world would do a little more bible reading instead of bible thumping, would the world be a better place? Tinsdale doesn't seem to notice the sign. "Trash fills the shelves of school libraries! Filth of all kinds! And they won't even allow..." and here her voice drops to merely deafening. "...a little prayer." The Question moves back towards the edge of the crowd, and disappears into an alley.. The Question disappears around a corner you never noticed before. The Question has left. Robin strings out his batrope in his hands, and swings down to ground zero. Shaking her head, Sarah just sighs, the corners of her mouth drifting down into a deep scowl. A radio is pulled up from her belt, as she takes a few steps back from the crowd, her head turning to talk into it for a moment, the words lost by the sound of t he crowd and speaker. The radio finally lowered back to her belt. Eyes once again scanning the crowd for anything abnormal, or out of the ordinary. One officer moves towards the man on the hydrant, politely asking him to get down for his own safety, thoug h not pushing it if the person continues to stay there. Tinsdale shakes her fist at...something, surely. The crowd seems to eat it up, though. "We will not stand for it anymore! You won't contaminate the minds of our children! You won't be able to! Not if we -all stand together-! Then -nobody-! No! Body! Can s top us!" The crowd surges to their feet once more, in an orgy of screaming and sign-waving. Someone holds a flaming torch in the air and gestures with it towards the books, approval and hate-filled shouts blasting through the air at high volume. The guy w ith the sign turns towards the officer and says "Wha?" before someone from the crowd bumps into him, and his sign tilts and he wheels around backwards, slamming into someone. Curses split the air, someone throws a punch, then someone else throws a punch, there's a woman's scream from the front of the crowd, and the torch gets dropped on the stack of books unceremoniously, as the crowd, already on it's feet, begins to boil with applause, running feet, the crush of bodies and, suddenly, a slowly growing are a of violence... Robin goes IC. Tinsdale switches note cards and continues, unheeding, her voice saying "The police can't do..." and then the cord is jerked from her speakers and someone wielding a sign saying 'Joker & GPL: Two of a kind' leaps onto the stage and starts waving it around ...the crowd near the stage surges forward to pull him down. The bonfire grows larger... Watching with a suddenly feeling of great apprehension, the situation out of control before Sarah can do much beyond watch. Letting out a quiet curse for the average intelligence of Gothamites, she grabs her radio, yelling into it over the sounds of the c rowd. "Get me swat, get me -anyone-." Her voice breaks off, gaze darting through the crowd. "I want as many officers as we have here.. *Now*." The voice is filled with her own fears, before she's directing those officers she does have here with orders. Officers are, at first, confused as what to do, hindering more than helping. Robin mutters, "It always starts out with prayer in schools and ends up in a riot..." Robin isn't sure what to do, starts pulling pairs of punch-throwers apart. The dispatcher's voice is lost in the roar of the crowd, something about sending people...a photographer is set upon by a small group of people, they surround him, kicking him savagely...Tinsdale looks like someone has punched her. Someone throws a sign o n the bonfire and a cloud of sparks and fluttering fiery pages swirls upwards...the violence spreads as the crowd starts to expand, running in all directions... The assailants that Robin pull apart grapple with each other again the moment he releases them, almost reflexively, then they give him a second look: there's a strange moment of shock on their faces, they start to shout at each other, at Robin, but it's h ard to hear what they're saying, they don't look the least bit happy with each other... Robin says "C'mon people! Set an influence for your children!" Taking action, and wanting to destroy the one thing that can get out of control, Sarah darts into a near-by shop, disappearing inside for quite some time, before coming out, fire-distinguisher in hand. Officers try and keep the peace, the first order of business is to rescue those that are not fighting, helping people, elderly, any and all they can they start the slow evacuation of the area, yelling over the crowd, their voices lost to the general momen t. Efficient, they begin to move as many as they can away from the center of the rioters, waiting until more swat can arrive, though their efforts are slow and with the small amount of officers, most get bogged down. One of them looks a bit ashamed for a moment, the other shouts, "And have her turn out like -you-?" The flimsy platform is on fire: fortunately it's burning from the top, and the people on the platform seem aware of the danger, pulling Tinsdale away and g etting down as quickly as they can. There is the sounds of smashing glass from the other side of the street. A car alarm starts blaring somewhere, and there is the thump of a car against another car from a short distance away...the officer's efforts meet with more success, but they emerge from the fracas bruised and battered... Robin shakes off the comments, and push the men away from each other, heading deeper into the crowd. Pushing her way into the crowd, Sarah slams the distinguisher against one larger man, at the moment, she cares about getting the flames under control, hoping reinforcements arrive before those here get more than a few bruises. Her effort at moving towards the front, is extremely slow, her progress kept back. Her voice, loud, for the moment, as she yells. "GCPD, Everyone *move* now. Stop this insanity or you'll all be arrested.. MOVE!" Mostly.. its lost, and she knows it.. The press and crush of the crowd is powerful, and it is slow going for Sarah. Sirens start to split the air: fire department? Police? Paramedics? Does it matter now? Robin too has trouble forcing his way through the crowd. Someone up ahead has fallen and is in danger of being badly trampled...the flames reflect in the window of a nearby store, the belching black smoke pouring upwards, obscuring the evening sunset. The shouting and screaming is still intense, though some of it is being reduced a little as the crowd spreads out...that is clearly a mixed blessing, though. Robin walks into a punch, his temper flares up for a second and he grabs the man by the collar..."What problems are you solving? Go ahead and beat the crap out of each other...thatsa way to teach your kids. Why didn't you bring them along? Then they could have gotten some practice-" He notices how large the bonfire is growing, "Forest fires...!" He lets go of the man's collar, and continues to push his way towards the front. Letting out a quiet curse, Sarah continues to claw, slam, and force her way through the crowd. Receiving her own share of punishment, she ignores it for now. Officers try to continue to help, though their pitiful amounts are only able to help a few. The platform creaks loudly and starts to tip towards the side....Robin's action does not go unnoticed by the person he grabs, who flails out with a fist at him in a blind rage...a radio van near the side of the platform is overturned, the driver trapped inside...someone is pushed into the bonfire and screams pitifully, struggling away with nasty burns, rolling on the ground to extinguish their clothing...Sarah nears the bonfire, which has grown to impressive proportions, frightening now that nobody is standing by to extinguish it but her, the two piles of books now a roaring flame.... Robin catches the punch in the back of the head, he falls over into the feet of the violent crowd, and amsidst the foot-shuffling and kicking, he has a hard time struggling to get to his feet. Hand rubbing her cheek, Sarah curses, seeing its more than a match for the extinguisher. Resting the extinguisher against her leg, she pulls out her radio, yelling into it. "Make sure the fire department gets here, WHERE are my men! Its a mad house! GEt people out of here *NOW*, I don't care how you do it, just get them away from this area." Finally, she turns the hose onto the books, sending a shower of white over them, aiming to keep it from spreading .. at least its her goal. Robin spots, but Sarah can't possibly, two police cars slamming up onto the curb near the barricades, and some stunned-looking officers piling out. One, quicker to comprehend than the others, pops the trunk and starts distributing riot gear, quickly. The bonfire retreats from Sarah's extinguisher where the white touches it...the platform tilts, a blazing torch sweeping dowwards...it SMASHES against one of the buildings lining the street, flames eagerly crawling and licking up it...the officers, now reinforced, start to do a little better, though the crowd is spreading out again, making movement a little easier...the noise of the rest of the city starts to be audible again...more sirens...a car horn blares continuously... Stumbling backwards when the platform crashes down, sending sparks in all directions, Sarah retreats, the extinguisher used up to be tossed to one side, away from the flames. Hopeless.. is her expression, while her face is covered in a dark layering of ash. Her radio crackles into life, though she's unable to hear it. Robin is pretty angry now, he shoves his way through the crowd very forcibly. Over top of the crowd he can be heard demanding..."Whose parents are you? You're going to burn down the whole freaking city!" He pulls out his communicator, calling Batman desparately for reinforcements. Spinning on her heels, Sarah takes heed of the rioters, eyes narrowing to slits, expression turning from hopeless, to pure anger, eyes flashing though they sting with the heat of the fire. (And a few buildings down, atop a theatre, behind an immense sign advertising a performance of 'Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead', a spindly figure hunched around a pair of binoculars giggles dementedly, tucks them away, and he and the other men on the roof slip down a fire escape silently.) The fire department arrives next, from behind the burning platform and the burning building, the paramedics screaming right behind. The crowds surge around the vehicles, making their jobs difficult, but most are running away...windows smashed...stores either aflame or in shambles...the riot seems to be moving...southwards, towards the bad end of town? Confusion continues...a few people notice Robin's shout, but none of them stop to argue...the driver of the radio van has crawled out, and just in time, as the fire reaches his van and sets it ablaze... Robin throws his 'rang and shimmies up a streetlamp quickly, out of the way of the moving stream of rioters. He calls into his communicator again..."Batman, where are you? The fire's started at the GPL meeting, repeat...the /fire/ has started." Taking action, Sarah takes note of the direction and flow of the crowd, yelling into her radio, hoping her voice can be heard above everything, to put up barracades, and -hopefully- arrest thsoe that are continuing. Her eyes shift to the crowd, then the buildings burning around her, feeling a tad trapped.. The heat of the buildings causing her hair to stick around her skin, which has grown to a mild pink color. Directing as best she can, the radio is once again placed into her belt, before she's pushing her way through the crowd, this time, pulling apart people, and using force. The SWAT van rushes into view...riot police emerge...the crowd continues to stream away. Something comes over the radio about barricades and fire and traffic, but there's too much static to make it out. The police now turn their attention to actually stopping fights, as the paramedics slowly start to take charge of the injured and the fire department starts to try to control the blaze now rushing up the sides of the burning building. One of the officers (face bleeding, uniform torn) spots Sarah somehow. " Lieutenant?" he shouts..."Help us..." He almost mechanically pulls a pair of people apart and almost literally drags one back towards the edge of the now-dispersing crowd... Robin's radio crackles and sputters, that interference makes any sound spit and fuzz as if someone were talking into a pillow. Unable to hear anything at the moment, Sarah's foot is introducing itselft to one man's gut, bringing him down, in a swift kick, as the fellow had the nerve to swing a sucker punch at her. Yanking him up by the collar afterwards, she drags the body towards the ambulances, and away from the crowd, before collapsing into a heap on the sidewalk, muttering to the officers next to her. "Arrest him." Bruised, bloodied, and mildly burned, she doesn't move for a moment. The officer nods blankly, as if Sarah's action were no more than something on, ironically, television, and pushes the offender, plastic riot cuffs in place, into the back of a car, and doesn't bother about being nice about it... Robin holds the communicator close up to his mouth..."Batman?" He moves up another level, to a ledge on a nearby building. He speaks into his com once more, and without getting an answer, he heads back down into the crowd, coming close to trying to beat some sense into people.