In the wake of Occupy Broadway's success and the failure of "The Big Bank" musical initiative comes the screaming-to-go-viral "Occupy West Side Story." Though perhaps less ambitious than its predecessors, this hilarious clip takes aim at NYPD Deputy Inspector Edward J. WInski (who replaced the infamous Tony Baloney) by overdubbing a classic scene from the 1961 film with new lyrics. The result is an entertaining and powerful expression of why occupiers are in the streets, how the economy collapsed, and the sad ironies surrounding the police brutality that the movement has suffered (and, it could be said, benefitted from as well). As one stanza states, "Gee, Officer Winski, please put down your mace/Your checks are paid by citizens you punch in the face/Your pension’s been stolen, and nobody cares/Deep down inside we know you’re scared."

New York City has distanced itself from a high-ranking "white shirt" police officer, Deputy Inspector Tony Bologna, and will not defend him in a civil lawsuit as a result of the incident.

Via:

New York City has distanced itself from a high-ranking police official accused of firing pepper spray at Occupy Wall Street protesters, taking the unusual step of declining to defend him in a civil lawsuit over the incident.

The decision means Deputy Inspector Anthony Bologna also could be personally liable for financial damages that may arise out of the suit, said lawyers familiar with similar civil-rights claims.

The 29-year veteran has asked a judge to reverse the city. "He wasn't doing this as Anthony Bologna, mister. He was doing this as Anthony Bologna, deputy inspector, NYPD," said his lawyer, Louis La Pietra. Mr. Bologna's union, the Captains Endowment Association, is now covering the cost of his defense.

On September 24, 2011, Bologna used pepper spray on Occupy Wall Street protesters (All young women) that were held behind orange netting. Bologna's lawyer claims Bologna didn't intend to spray the women and he expects to argue that the video doesn't show the "context" in which the deputy inspector's actions unfolded.

I think we got the context just fine. Young girl coraled standing crying along at the edge of the net, big bad white shirt with a can of pepper spray sees easy target. But, Tony Bologna's version ought to be interesting, even if it does smell to high heaven.

It will be interesting to see how willing the police will be to brutally attack protesters in the future now that they know the city will abandon them when it comes time to go to court.