You have to think like these people. They are looking for the NYPD and vigilante groups to bust their heads so that they can blame the Bush/Cheney NAZI party with violence.
The media will eat it up and until the debates they will call Bush a Nazi. This will take the spotlight off of Kerry's lies.
Bloomberg did the right thing by being gracious. Takes the "cage them" mentality away from the Republicans.
One thing I would suggest. I would place a national ad to parents saying something to the effect of:
If your child has chosen to come to NY to protest the convention peacefully, then we welcome them with open arms. However if you child gets violent of destructive, we will prosecute them to the maximum that the law allows.
I honestly didn't think of it that way. I hope that perception is right.