ACLU: Anti-Bush Protesters Exiled to Distant Zones

[kskiska]

Pardon the source

Washington — Supporters can stand near President Bush and loyally wave their signs, but demonstrators opposing the president's policies are exiled to protest zones (search) in isolated areas, the American Civil Liberties Union (search) has alleged in recent court filings.

Protesters across the country — from South Carolina to Missouri to Florida — have brought several cases against the Bush administration, claiming its strict rules for dissenters violate their free speech rights.

“A favorite tactic of the Bush administration has been to herd protestors at presidential appearances into ‘designated protest zones,’ out of sight of motorcade, and to arrest people who refuse to be moved. The policy, applied only to those with dissenting views, has been used to suppress dissent nationwide,” the ACLU wrote in a May 2003 report.

The ACLU of Eastern Missouri (search) sued the Secret Service (search) and the St. Louis police to stop a protest zone from being established for the president’s Aug. 26 visit to St. Louis. The organization said during three other visits by the president to the city, protesters were relegated to designated areas far away from the scene of any action.

more…
http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,96474,00.html

[RamboLiberal]

1. Go ACLU! I think it's time for a donation to a worthy cause

It's time this was stopped! Whistle-Ass needs to see what the American People really think of him.

[disgruntella]

2. yes, I recently became a "card-carrying member"

As I read somewhere on the 'net (maybe here): The United States IS a First Amendment Zone!

[benfranklin1776]

4. Agreed. First Amendment Zones are an absolute disgrace.

Particularly when applied in the grossly discriminatory manner as they are here which wholly negates the possibility that they are being done for "safety or security" reasons. They are discrimination for the purposes of suppressing political speech that a thin skinned pResident does not like to see since it is critical of his policies. Sorry that's too bad there George. This is not a monarchy where the king may banish the "unruly peasants" from his sight.

When Junior came to Pittsburgh on Labor Day 2002 they arrested a gentleman carrying a sign "Bush must love the poor becaue he has made so many of them" because he refused to enter his first amendment holding pen while those carrying proBush signs were allowed to stand right along the road as his motorcade went by. The District Magistrate, showing wisdom which far exceeds that of five justices on the Supreme Court, heaved the case and rebuked the Bush Administration, remarking:

"I believe this is America," she said. "Whatever happened to 'I don't agree
with you but I'll defend to the death your right to say it?' "

http://www.post-gazette.com/columnists/20021103brian3.asp

[disgruntella]

6. that's a terrific column

Cheers to Bill Neel! :toast:

[benfranklin1776]

7. That it was. A good column and a great act of courage by Mr Neel

Mr. Neel showed the true meaning of patriotism that day when he just plain got disgusted and summoned the courage and guts to say, in essence, "you know this is the first amendment which many have died for and I will be damned if I let their sacrifice be in vain."

[userdave2061]

19. Sadly it was President Clinton that signed the 1st zone bill into law

I don't know if the ACLU protested or sued during that time.

Does anyone know?

[disgruntella]

26. what law are you referring to?

I did a quick search on the ACLU site, but I didn't see any reference to a "First Amendment Zone" law (of course it might not have that particular phrase associated with it)

[Kitsune]

27. It was originally intended to create a buffer around abortion clinics

so that people could actually get into it without whackjob rightwingers harassing them, spitting on them, etc. I don't recall the specific name of the law or anything, but it was promulgated under Clinton.

[disgruntella]

28. thanks, that's interesting

The coverage I have seen of people fighting back against the 1st Amendment zones makes it sound like more of an ad-hoc policy than a law that's being challenged. (Not that this improves my opinion of the zone concept!)

[tom_paine]

35. Right with you on that, Ben!

And 'I don't agree
with you but I'll defend to the death your right to say it?' is one of my favorite sentiments of the Old America (sans "political correctness", which did exist, though not to the extent that it was portrayed by the Right-Wing Sub-Media...and was and should have been rightfully opposed within the system...but those were the old days of the old democratic-republic political paradigm) that is now dying a slow death, I think (though I hope I'm wrong).

And at the core of it, naturally, is the Right-Wing-Sub-Media/Scaife/Bushevik/Roberston?Falwell coalition whose methodology includes dominating conversation and not allowing your opponent's voice to be heard 1/5th as loud by any means hook or crook, legal or illegal.

It ges back to the first true Poll Freepers...the Missouri Border Ruffians, God rot their souls in Hell. These are their spiritual descendants.

[bluestateguy]

3. They better not put up with this shit at next year's convention

Otherwise they will be ignored by the media and all the lily white Republicans.

[Melsky]

5. It's ridiculous

they should have all protesters/supporters at the same place.

[PartyPooper]

8. Only a dictator would suppress dissent.

But, I guess that's what we've got.

:evilfrown:

[LittleApple81]

9. They are doing it all over the country.

In Lawrence (Kansas) they called it the "Free Speech Zone." Kids wanted to protest the $500 a plate lunch for the Dole Center and it became a real raucus. Readers' letters to the Lawrence paper the next few days were almost unanimously against the demonstrators, who were beaten by the police. I was not there so I don't know what happened, but there were fights between the kids--some of whom called themselves anarchists--and the police.

[rocktivity]

31. And of course, only dissenters have the potential to be terrorists

Only a dissenter is of potential harm to the Pretzel-Dunce, which is all the more reason why they should be caged and segregated. Fortunately, real terrorists aren't smart enough to realize that if they really did want to harm Bush, they'd increase their chances of being successful by PRETENDING to be pro-Bush supporters...


rocknation

[prolesunited]

10. Just in case anyone wants to become

a card-carrying member of the ACLU.

http://www.aclu.org/contribute/contribute.cfm

[symbolman]

11. You could contribute

to Take Back the Media and receive a fine Police Whistle, suitable for making a LOT OF NOISE from First Amendment Zones..

comes with ear plugs too!

see link below

[deneb]

12. GOP Convention NYC September 2004 - Madison Square Garden

Penn Station (LIRR, subways, Amtrak, shops) is beneath the most famous arena in the world.

The World will be watching.

William Wallace: "You can take my life, but you can never take my freedom!"

[Cassandra]

30. I thought they were going to be at the Javits Center

which is much easier to cordon off (except for those pesky bus stops).

[stickdog]

13. Message to our Fuhrer: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

IS A FIRST AMENDMENT ZONE!

[Noordam]

14. Nude Bar Owner has won over * on this in Tampa.

Redner, friends sue over rights at rally
By GRAHAM BRINK, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published August 6, 2003

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TAMPA - Nude club owner Joe Redner and two friends filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday objecting to the circumstances that led to their arrests last year outside a rally for Gov. Jeb Bush's reelection.

In November, Redner, Jeff Marks and Adam Elend stood with protest signs outside the University of South Florida Sun Dome, where President George W. Bush was speaking at a rally for his brother. The Bush campaign called the rally a private event.

Hillsborough sheriff's deputies ordered the protesters to confine their activity to a protest zone hundreds of yards away on Fowler Avenue, but they refused.

Redner and the others instead handed out excerpts of Supreme Court decisions that criticized the establishment of "Free Speech Zones" well away from the object of a protest. Eventually, the three men were arrested on misdemeanor trespassing charges.

A judge threw out the charges in May, saying the Sun Dome and the Republican Party had no right to exclude protesters because USF had not given them contractual authority over the property.

"I call them First Amendment cages," Redner said after the charges were dropped. "They don't serve any government interest whatsoever. They say they're there to protect the president. Anybody who was going to attack the president wouldn't be in a group protesting the president."

The lawsuit names the Sun Dome, the University of South Florida, the Sheriff's Office and the director of the U.S. Secret Service as defendants. The case isn't really about the money, said the men's attorney, Luke Lirot. Their main goal is to bring an end to the use of protest zones set up to keep protesters away from the action.

<cut>

"We want a declaratory judgment that the creation of these so called "Free Speech Zones' are a ridiculous violation of the First Amendment," Lirot said. "The name itself is a contradiction in terms."

- Graham Brink can be reached at 813 226-3365 or


[e-mail]

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/08/06/Hillsborough/Redner__friends_sue_o.shtml

[Merlin]

15. Holy Irony, Batman! The judge is a LIMBAUGH!!!!!

"The local police and Secret Service acknowledged that they had planned to use a free speech zone during the president's visit, but subsequently agreed in court not to do so. Based on that concession, U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Limbaugh decided not to issue a temporary restraining order."


Fat boy's family is big in Mo. He grew up in a company town, and his father owned the company. It bought time on the local radio station that was the first to hire little nimbleshorts to bloviate.

I'll bet you good money this judge is a relative.

[ILeft]

29. It's his cousin...appointed by Ashcroft, too.

http://archive.salon.com/politics/feature/2001/01/17/rush/index.html

[Neecy]

16. interesting

This must explain why we weren't put in a First Amendment cage when * visited Kansas City this week. KCMO must have known about the lawsuits filed in St. Louis and didn't want to mire the city in a bunch of lawsuits.

Maybe other cities now will wise up and refuse to be pushed around by the administration. Most cities right now can't afford prolonged and expensive litigation (especially after they have to pay for all of the police overtime when the idiot comes to town).

[rusk2003]

17. Well Iam not surprised buy maybe it is a good thing

I mean is it really a good idea to have to groupe of people who they really do not like each other in the same group . Sounds like a recepie for a fight. Anyway the media should give each gruop the same amount of coverage.

[Judi Lynn]

24. The problem with silencing the anti-Bush people, and segregating them

is that the illusion remains that Bush's programs are accepted, and approved by the public.

If there is a little yelling, pushing and shoving, as there was been WITH EVERY OTHER PRESIDENT, or EVERY ELECTED PRESIDENT, then people finally will start to see the real disposition of the actual American public.

Anything else is actually a forced, deliberate misrepresentation to keep Americans who don't approve of Bush's policies isolated, and unaware of the others who feel the same.

ANTI-DEMOCRATIC, and anti-American.

[catmandu57]

22. I was just about ready to comment on that

No first ammendment zones in KC, protestors lined the streets with banners signs and loud remarks directed at the chimp*. One arrest of a man running towards the motorcade, no reason has been given.

[Judi Lynn]

25. Last night, on the CBS station, KCMO, someone bungled a clip

during a story, and the anchor, Dave Helling had to explain that what they were seeing, completely out of context, was a clip of people protesting George Bush's visit.

Ha Ha Ha. So that clip was shown twice in one program. Very amusing.

[graphixtech]

32. not entirely correct,

early in the protest, local police directed the protesters to move themselves into a predesignated, barracaded and police prepared area (atop Barney Allis park). The protesters quietly refused which caused the SS to approach local police to talk amongst themselves. A ss guy then lead a line of marching protesters to another side.

There were also some arbitrary police orders to stay on the sidewalk, which may be another issue.

Before Bush was to leave, one street of protesters was ordered to immediately clear off, and move up to the next street. There were about a dozen policemen who ordered this street of protesters to move. Shortly thereafter, from a distance, I saw the limo pull out and turn left out of sight.

It was extremely eerie.

edit:
Here is a thread with more information about the KC protest and the police interaction:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=276997

(i have some photos posted of the protest, as well as the initial police interaction. When they are finished, they will be posted in a new thread, in General later today (and a link for additional).

[graphixtech]

37. pic and tidbit

here is one photo of a KC policeman directing protesters to move up to a cordoned off area (have several other photos of that specific event).



I simply took photos of the protest (though friendly with several protesters). After being aribitrarly ordered to get off the street, and threatened by a policeman, a locally well connected friend told me to contact the aclu head in this area who has a current lawsuit going about a certain constitutional event issue.

I may very well call and consider filing some type of complaint on Monday.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

18. This has NOT "been the policy with all previous administrations."

I remember carrying a "Dump Dick" sign 20 feet away from Nixon as he gave a speech. One SS guy there was actually pretty cool about it and gave the impression that they felt the same way.

Maybe it's time to manufacture reversable protest signs that can be changed from pro Bush to Negative Bush in a flash... I wonder if Billboards could be rented for Presidential visits?

That would be fun.

[DemBones DemBones]

20. Could be a real market for reversible pro-*/anti-* signs in NYC

at GOP convention time. Other places, too, but the city in particular.

I wonder if people have tried carrying a pro-* sign and then unfurling an anti-Bush banner (concealed under their clothes) as the motorcade comes by? And, if so, were they arrested? For, um, being free under false pretenses?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

21. LOL... "being free under false pretenses." Love it!

I think the easiest way to do it would be to have a poster with a large printed "BUSH" on top with a removable flag underneath that could be removed to show "Lied, People Died," or simply "Sucks!"

[Eloriel]

34. Here's an idea

Using foam core (very light), make two signs the same size. Hinge them together at the top with tape or even use velcro. Obviously, the outside says favorable bush stuff. Once safely inside the "right" area, flip them to reveal your REAL sign.

Eloriel

[styersc]

23. I went to a fund raising concert for Brett Bursey last night and have been

attending his hearings in federal court. Brett is a South Carolina activist who has been the focus of this outrage.

(Check out Brett's case here: http://www.unitedcitizensparty.org/issueCommittee/viewPage.jsp?id=65&page=1&c=5)

Last night Brett said something I hadn't heard before. his case is the first in the country that will be prosecuted by the feds. All the other cases have been prosecuted by local law enforcement. his was dropped by the locals and is being pursued by the feds.

Bursey's Trial is in Columbia, SC federal court on Nov 12. Come and be a part of history. This case is ripe for the Supreme Court.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

33. You have the right to free speech

as long as you only exercise it at home, in your closet, with cotton stuffed in your ears.

[NashVegas]

36. We Can Thank Over-Zealous Anti-Abortion Protesters for This

Not speaking about the ones who show up just to be seen, but the ones who try to interfere.

The laws enacted to keep them about from abortion clinic doors opened the door to these new Free Speech Zones.

[OldCurmudgeon]

39. so, let's see if I've got this right...

Shrub is an abortion clinic?

So everyone has to stay back 50 feet, and let the pregnant women get to him?

(Okay, ladies...here's your baseball bats. Remember, it's your kids future at stake here. Now Sic'em)

[Nottingham]

38. Whoo Hoo! Go St.Louis

:bounce: Protesting is our Biggest right!

[ThoughtCriminal]

40. Primary and secondary purpose

Asside from protecting * from actually seeing a dissenting view, the real agenda of 1st Amendment Zones keep the media cameras away from the protesters.