Media Contact for the Union Square BID: David Perry & Associates, Inc. / David Perry

(415) 693-0583 // cell: (415) 412-2496 // news@davidperry.com

Union Square Park Demonstration Alert / Media Advisory

WHAT: Anti Bush Administration Rally to be held in Union Square

WHEN: Tuesday, January 31

5pm: Rally

6pm: Organizers protest: “Bring the Noise. Drown Out Bush's Lies.”

7pm: Toppling of 30 foot tall paper maché statue of President Bush

DETAIL: On Tuesday, January 31, 2006 at 5pm there will be a permitted demonstration in Union Square Park from 5pm 'til 8pm. The permit holder, the World Can’t Wait Organization ( www.worldcantwait.net ) has the following message on their website:

There is expected to be a large attendance to this demonstration. The SFPD will be there with 100+ officers to make sure that the demonstration is peaceful and respectful of Union Square Park, the retailers/businesses and pedestrians.

If you are with Building Management (commercial and hotel), please make sure that all access to roof tops and vacant spaces are secure since the demonstrators will be looking to hang banners over the sides of buildings and potentially graffiti windows.

Also, please report anything out of the ordinary to the Police at the non-emergency number, 415-553-0123, unless it is an emergency, then use 911. If you happen to be on your cell phone, the “911” emergency number is not always the same with all cellular carriers, so program in the SFPD “911” number 415-553-8090.

The Union Square Business Improvement District (BID) is a 10-block area where property owners assess themselves to make their community cleaner, safer and more vibrant. The BID assessment is used to purchase services that supplement those provided by the City. The Union Square BID contains 97 properties and is roughly bounded by Sutter Street to the North, Stockton and Grant Streets to the East, Market Street to the South and Cyril Magnin to the West. In 1994, California joined most states in the country and passed enabling legislation for property based business improvement districts (PBIDS). There are currently over 1,000 BIDS in the United States and Canada. Also part of the Union Square BID’s success are the “TAGGers.” “TAGGers” (an acronym for Take Away Graffiti and Grime ) are the primary caretakers for Union Square and the whole BID district. Seven days a week, throughout the day, they sweep the sidewalks, pick-up and dispose of trash and debris, and remove graffiti from storefronts, buildings, area light poles and street furniture. Sidewalks are steam cleaned twice a month. BID “Ambassadors” are a visible presence for safety and maintenance in the BID’s ten-square-block borders. Easily identifiable by their red and blue uniforms, the Ambassadors provide visitors and tourists with a variety of services including directions, transportation information, emergency response, and even help elderly shoppers with their bags as they cross San Francisco’s busy streets.

For more information on the Union Square Business Improvement District, access their website at www.unionsquarebid.com, or call (415) 421-3135.