A federal appeals court ruled two months ago that the city was within its rights to prohibit a peace sign in the window of the Ansonia, the historic building on 73rd Street and Broadway. But regulations or not, the sign was back up in all its glory on Friday night.
The ruling on October 14 said that the city was within its rights to fine designer Brigitte Vosse for putting an illuminated peace sign in her 17th-floor window. Illuminated signs are not allowed above 40 feet in the air. Vosse had challenged the ruling on free speech and consistency grounds, but the court found her arguments were “without merit.”
Good use of time, money and resources by NYC. Well done, yet again, Deblasio. Well done. Perhaps they can just put scaffolding around the building and block it.
Good for her. Shine on.
Idiotic. Free speech should have prevailed. The city has has sold our eyeballs by inflicting brightly lit electronic billboards on the streets of our neighborhoods via bus shelters, newstands and the monolithic “internet access snd charging stations” (aka another excuse to sell ad space), yet this woman can’t have a peace sign? Not even at Christmas? City hall is facsist.
Take that DeBlasio !!!
ms vosse has a right to resist
more to come…
Bravo!
Will “Bravo” be your response if it is outside your window? Or if there are dozens more lighted signs in a multitude of different shapes and colors?
I agree that this is all a waste of money, but the laws should be applied consistently (she should just take it down). And don’t blame DeBlasio… this has been going on for years.
“[…]dozens more lighted signs in a multitude of different shapes and colors?”
Like Christmas tree lights for example?
What happened to discretion in the execution of the law? The ordinance is clearly meant for restraining advertising from springing up all over the place. Not for preventing people from displaying an inocuous piece sign with no ill effect other than to the imaginary damage inflicted to the crotchety members of a coop board.
Unless of course the advertising is being sold by the city, the great sell out of New York continues.
I’m not going to get into a long winded discussion about this, because it’s absolutely ridiculous. I assumed it coincided with the John Lennon memorial service, but in any case the peace sign isn’t REMOTELY near another tenant’s window or shining into anyone’s personal space.
Lynn, you are completely correct.
A one-size-fits-all approach to these kinds of issues are the domain of the simple minded.
There will always be those out there who can’t think about things as individual event but will, out of a lack of imagination, need to lump everything together and react accordingly.
I will resist the temptation to say this in caps, but. This has nothing whatsoever to do with free speech, nothing at all.
How very Trumpian of her. Or is it Trumpish?? not sure.
But hey, why not?? Let’s all just do what we want with no regard for the rules or others…
I pity the future
WHAT is THAT supposed to mean?? Is this woman’s absurd attention-getting behavior somehow attributable to Donald Trump?? I suppose it was Donald Trump who set the Great Chicago Fire of 1879! And let’s not forget that he was the shadowy presence on the grassy knoll that day in Dallas when JFK was assassinated, right? Get real!!
I don’t like it so it has to come down
-typical Upper West Sider
-or-
I think it’s great, she needs to keep it up
-another typical UWS resident
Bottom Line.
Guess What?!? it’s not about what you like or not. We live in a SOCIETY you self-involved spoiled brats….liberal and conservative alike
Oh yeah, Happy Holidays
I pity the future too if you can’t see the difference between a person who instigates violence against anyone that’s not a white male, and someone who displays a peace sign in a window at the top of a building.
Nonsense…it’s the liberal SJW who are violent. Most Trump supporters (myself included) are productive members of society that don’t need or want liberal elites or the recipient class telling us how to live.
“LiberL elite” is a ridiculous and untrue term made up as more propaganda from the fascist right.
What is SJW – is that a veiled anti-semitic term?
“Social Justice Warrior” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_justice_warrior
My apologies, that should have read, ‘white straight male.’
Hey Lynn,
You are not serious in saying the Trump is ok with violence against anyone who is not white, are you?
That is an extreme statement, even coming from you.
Please explain, I would love to hear it.
Holiday cheers to you and all.
I think it’s just handsome and pleasing to look at in its setting.
Has no one heard of curtains, blinds, shades, or window treatments as they are called now?
Bravo, Voss fight the power!
Mayor, why don’t YOU help her, It’s a beautiful sign.
Happy Holidays & Merry Xmas
Bravo to her, fight the power!
Perhaps the Mayor could help her out, it’s a beautiful sign.
Happy Holidays & Merry Xmas
It’s sad that her peace sign is causing a war of words on westsiderag (though just about any subject seems to do so).
Give peace a chance…
With respect, you are all missing the point. The law says that you cannot have an illuminated sign above 40 feet. This is not a free speech issue, it is a zoning issue.
Just because you agree with the message is not the point. Replace the peace sign with something that you don’t like, say the GOP logo or the NRA logo. See the problem?
This not about DeBlasio, or Trump, or your hatred of the advertising on city furniture (which BTW, brings in lots of tax revenue), this is about obeying a zoning law.
If this person gets to break the law, then you open the flood gates to other people putting illuminated signs in their window, maybe signs you don’t like. Do you really want the UWS filled with such signs?
“people” otherwise known as developers break the “law” on a daily basis but then they get the City to make it legal!
I mostly second your thoughts, my fellow Jeff, although technically this is both a free speech issue and a zoning issue (it’s about whether the zoning improperly infringes free speech, and the courts have said it does not).
I would add, however, that Ms. Vosse is probably well within her legal rights to put up this peace sign during the holiday season, given that Christmas lights and Hanukkah lights (including many that could also be construed as signs) are up in high rises all over the city right now. Presumably the city will look the other way during December.
Good point, Jeff.
I pass by this building all the time and have never even noticed the sign. I guess I don’t look up much. But I’d rather see a peace sign than the other holiday decorations.
I remember this conversation from last year. It is weird that it hasn’t caused the out of control situation that many last year predicted. Or is it? Or did it, and I just
didn’t notice??
Why CAN’T she do this? Don’t many high rise office buildings have the form of a cross created by lit windows at night?
I’m living in NYC for my whole life ( 61 years ) and I see no problem in a PEACE sign of all things. First heavens same, it’s not even religious.
I meant to type “for heavens sake”.
Has anyone stopped and asked why there is a zoning law about illuminated signs above 40 feet being prohibited? According to this article that height guideline is pretty specific. Could it have something to do with flight safety? Perhaps. I’m no aviation expert, but before everyone piles on more about the President elect, our Mayor, white privilege and free speech maybe this question needs to be answered. I wonder if she lived on the third floor of the Ansonia if the illuminated peace sign would be such an issue. Worth investigating, WSR.
I love you Francine Cohen. You are my kind of gal.
Truly, a voice of reason. Bravo!
We need that sign now more than ever!
Yea!! In our new environment a lot of rules may have to be broken!
Really? With everything the way it is these day I think we need more peace signs.
Good for her!!!!!
Yayyy! The law needs to be changed; illuminated “signs” are everywhere.
Civil disobedience at its finest.
What a complete waste of time! With all the unrest in this country/world, we can all benefit from this Peace sign. Use our money for better causes.
Peace out! Love it. It’s beautiful 💕
Love to watch the conservatives shilling for increased government regulation on what we can put on our personal property.
The Peace Sign is the perfect sign, in the perfect spot, in the perfect building, in the city’s greatest neighborhood. Be proud and more tolerant, NY. It bothers no one.
Long live the peace sign. (And be glad I don’t live there because I’d get a giant neon middle finger.)
Good lord. Of all the things to protest right now! We should FILL the city with peach signs, glowing, lighted, bedazzled — what have you.
Ugh. Of course I meant to type “peace” not “peach.” Though a peach sign sounds fine too. 😉
This woman who is obviously selling something using the “peace sign” for code is clearly running some nefarious scheme. It’s a little to convenient when a peace sign goes up just in time for Christmas. It’s like there’s a link between the two. The pieces aren’t all fitting yet…. And tell me if I’m wrong but aren’t there one or two illuminated signs over forty feet up in Times Square. I am just glad our city and federal courts have clearly prioritized addressing those issues that most affect all New Yorkers by creating dangerous intolerable conditions.
Signs are required by the zoning on Times Square.
Ted, you have a point. I was thinking the same thing last night while wearing my tin foil hat.
Mark
I hope your comment doesn’t imply you sometimes take off your tinfoil hat. I wear mine all the time. They’re everywhere!!!
I just can’t believe someone saw that peace sign and was like, “this has to come down.” of all the things to focus on… wtf. It’s beautiful. One of my favorite elements of the uWs.
I get laws and whatever. But seriously, not even a big deal at all. Find something else to worry about. Almost seems anti peace to fight something that really is 100% harmless.