RNC Protesters File Suit
Today, the Minnesota Daily featured the article, "Group files suit over right to protest at RNC in September." The Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War groups filed suit against St. Paul city officials arguing that they were denied their First Amendment rights. "The coalition requested permits to march from the Capitol, around Xcel Energy Center and back," and were denied. After being denied permits, the coalition filed suit and were eventually given a permit to protest at the Capitol. The coalition has not received permits for the rest of their march, which must be approved by the city. "The city has afforded the coalition a conditional permit to protest Sept. 1, the first day of the convention, but provides no march route." This 'maybe' permit doesn't allow the coalition to protest at all. The Capitol is not adequate for protest - the RNC is not even close to there. Tom Walsh, the St. Paul Police Department spokesperson said, "We've done more to protect free speech than any other convention city before us...We're proud of that." Congratulations, St. Paul, you are both hindering First Amendment rights (you know, those really important ones) and disillusioning the public and yourselves about how useless you are being. "Under law, the city has the right to subject protest plans to any 'reasonable security measures' but the protesters have a right to protest 'close to, or near' the convention." What I find incredible here is how the Republicans appear to have full run of the city while protesters are being shooed away to areas where their protest becomes barely visible.