Wall Street Bull Still Behind Barricades; Tourists Angry

Tourists are now mad at Wall Street too. Or at least they are mad around Wall Street. Why? According to the New York Post, the famous Wall Street bull is still behind police barricades in the wake of Occupy Wall Street's stay in Zuccotti Park, "enraging" (enraging!) tourists. Now, this is something to get riled up about!

A cop told the Post that the barricades are in place for the safety of the bull. Protesters might want to hurt it!

"Our thinking is that they might come back and try something. We don't want anything to happen to the bull," he said.

The Post added that it's not just tourists who see this as an injustice: members of the community are complaining that the bull's imprisonment is causing tourists to shun the area, taking their money along with them. Chairman of the Bowling Green Association Arthur Piccolo just about coined the movement's slogan when he told the Post: "Uncage the bull!"

How times have changed. A year ago Olek gave the bull a neon camouflage sweater.

Meanwhile, tourists are a growing force that should not be messed with. Just last week, Mayor Bloomberg gave a British couple the honorary title of 2011's 50 millionth visitors to the city. By the end of year the city is predicted to see an estimated 50.2 million.

Their numbers are strong. They are "enraged." Can the tourist voice be ignored?

Update: 12:51 p.m. At a press conference this afternoon Mayor Bloomberg was asked about the bull. "The cops have to make a decision," he said. "If it looks like someone is going to deface it they have to be there." He later added: "it's just a symbol of our time."

[ezwrites]