A Mr. Unhappy Face Film © In 1997 Street Artists won a four year battle in the Federal Courts system , affording them full First Amendment protection when selling art in the public spaces of NYC. In 1998 Giuliani retaliated by privatizing the public park system and initializing yet another unconstitutional permit system against artists of NYC. Those unwilling to submit to this system were again subjected to arrest and confiscation. A.R.T.I.S.T ( Artist Response to Illegal State Tactics) staged a 65 day long protest and consequent Federal Lawsuit in response.This video documents parts of that protest. Note: Interestingly enough the Metropolitan Museum Of Art was the only major art institution that didn't sign on in defense of the artists in the first Federal Lawsuit [ Lederman/Bery et al v. City of New York/Giuliani et al]. Director: Knut Masco