For the past three years, New York City has refused to allow the setting off of firecrackers in Chinese New Year Celebrations. Opponents of the ban say that they simply want to be allowed to use firecrackers in specially designated areas under close city supervision, and that this a traditional celebration during Chinese New Year. In February of 1998, Mr. Wang Jian set off a string of firecrackers on the steps of New York City's City Hall, and was arrested and charged with four misdemeanor counts. While some saw Mr. Wang Jian's actions as heroic, others criticized his protest as a public safety hazard.
