To coincide with this afternoon’s groundbreaking ceremony for Atlantic Yards, opponents to the project held their own event: the Groundbreaking to Bury the Soul of Brooklyn. Held outside Freddy’s Bar, which lies in the project’s footprint and has been a focal point for Atlantic Yards protests, members of Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn donned three-foot bobblehead masks of the politicians and developers that championed the arena. After a farcical skit and a brief speech by DDDB’s Daniel Goldstein, the organizers led the way to a more traditional demonstration at the edges of the construction site.

Protesters gathered outside the NYPD-guarded entrance to the groundbreaking, chanting “Shame On You” at the entering cars.

The group swelled in size as they moved to Atlantic Avenue. The atmosphere was jovial at times, with demonstrators dancing to the music of blowhorns, whistles and tambourines.

Eventually the group spilled into the street, blocking all eastbound traffic.

At NYPD officers’ requests that the group move to the sidewalk, demonstrators retorted with the chant “Where is the sidewalk?” Much of the sidewalk in the area is behind construction fences, leaving only a narrow section of the street on which to gather.

Photos by Andrew Balmer. Balmer is Project Associate for Urban Omnibus and a senior in the Barnard + Columbia Architecture program.