Debate scouting?
posted October 7, 2016 1:05 PM RSS | iCal | +googleCal
Sun October 9 at 7:00 PM, Washington Univeristy
330 N Big Bend Blvd, University City, MO, USA (Map & Directions)
So, yeah, the other day I kind of suggested that I might be up for doing this. Anyone else want to come along?
Not really thinking "Let's make a huge show of this." More let's a couple of us go up there, hang out, take pictures, comment from the field and then, after it's over, maybe snag a coke and a burger somewhere. Anyone want to join me?
I'm mostly thinking that exterior demonstrators will be the interesting portion of the festivities, so if the campus is locked down, that's not where they'll be. Somewhere outside the rectangle around Big Bend, Forest Park, Skinker and Forsyth is where things will actually be happening.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 9:59 AM on October 8, 2016
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 9:59 AM on October 8, 2016
If you're going to go over there, I would suggest doing it today well before 8 p.m., when they close off Big Bend Boulevard from Forest Park Parkway to Wydown Boulevard. And make sure to bring your ID just in case.
There's a good bit of activity to see even just from the corner of Big Bend and Forsyth boulevards—you can see a huge line of satellite trucks, media people checking their phones in the middle of the street (ugh, dude), the tents for various purposes, etc. They're checking ID just past the gates of Francis Field in the parking lot there, so you can't really go closer to the Athletic Complex than that, but as of when I was there a couple hours ago, you could feasibly walk around the parking-lot area and the streets there near the Danforth University Center. I saw lots of students around.
But yeah, there's a pretty heavy police presence of all sorts in that area; I saw cars out from just about every local municipality as I drove up and down Big Bend earlier, plus a state trooper's SUV, a fire marshall's SUV, etc. We'll see how it goes when I drive back to get my husband from work on campus later on! I'm a little less up for gawking just 'cause he's in the midst of it already, heh. But yeah, if you're going to go over there, basically do it now.
posted by limeonaire at 12:29 PM on October 8, 2016
There's a good bit of activity to see even just from the corner of Big Bend and Forsyth boulevards—you can see a huge line of satellite trucks, media people checking their phones in the middle of the street (ugh, dude), the tents for various purposes, etc. They're checking ID just past the gates of Francis Field in the parking lot there, so you can't really go closer to the Athletic Complex than that, but as of when I was there a couple hours ago, you could feasibly walk around the parking-lot area and the streets there near the Danforth University Center. I saw lots of students around.
But yeah, there's a pretty heavy police presence of all sorts in that area; I saw cars out from just about every local municipality as I drove up and down Big Bend earlier, plus a state trooper's SUV, a fire marshall's SUV, etc. We'll see how it goes when I drive back to get my husband from work on campus later on! I'm a little less up for gawking just 'cause he's in the midst of it already, heh. But yeah, if you're going to go over there, basically do it now.
posted by limeonaire at 12:29 PM on October 8, 2016
By the way, the Public Expression Zone, as apparently they're calling it, will actually be right at Forsyth and Big Bend, per this KMOV report. So there may indeed be more to see that's actually publicly accessible when people are set up there.
posted by limeonaire at 12:31 PM on October 8, 2016
posted by limeonaire at 12:31 PM on October 8, 2016
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Judging by how strict the Secret Service and Wash U police were already getting earlier this week, I expect they seriously mean it about carrying your ID at all times.
I work at Wash U, so theoretically I could do this from on campus, but I'm RSVP'd for the debate watch party at the Pageant.
posted by jedicus at 6:45 AM on October 8, 2016