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community room. We don't want to get involved in politics.” I said, “This isn't politics -- it's civic. I'm the district leader, and I want to have a community meeting.” “Sorry, you can't have it.” It was obvious that Carmine had opposed it and decided to stop it if he could. I had sent him a letter, by the way. It was a terrific letter. It was mean, but it was a terrific letter. I invited a lot of people. I said, “Dear Mr. DeSapio, I am holding a meeting of the community to discuss the problems of MacDougal Street. The meeting will be held at Our Lady of Pompeii, which is located at...” (laughs) That's his church. It was mean, but I enjoyed it.

So after that letter, then I get this cancellation. So I call up NYU and ask if I can have one of their auditoriums, and they said yes. And then I announced that due to the enormous response to my calling the meeting, there would not be enough seats in the Lady of Pompeii and I had had to change the place to the NYU education building.

Well, people were very worried at the VID. I remember one woman saying to me, “Don't go there. I hear that they may even kill you they're so angry with you.” I said, “Oh, come on, don't worry about it.” What can they do? I don't believe it.”

So I go down there. It was a hot August night I think in ‘63 -- it may have been ‘64, but I think it was ‘63. And out in front of West 4th Street right in front of the education