Miami revokes law restricting protests

[corporatewhore]

Miami revokes law restricting protests

By Noaki Schwartz
Miami Bureau
Posted March 12 2004

Miami · A controversial city of Miami law that granted extra powers to police before November's Free Trade Area of the Americas meeting has been repealed.City commissioners voted Thursday to take the law off the books on the grounds that the restrictions could affect the ability of city residents from Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti and elsewhere to protest conditions in their home countries. The law prohibited protesters from carrying props including water pistols, balloons, bottles and sticks and requires a permit for public gatherings of seven or more people if they last more than 30 minutes.

Commissioner Tomas Regalado, who proposed the ordinance, said it was time to get rid of the law now that the FTAA meetings are over.
"We don't want the police saying it's on the books and we have to enforce it," Regalado said in a recent interview. "We don't want other groups to say, `You're not enforcing it with the Haitians and Cubans but you enforced with the FTAA protesters.'"

When the law was approved in November, city and police officials denied accusations from protesters that the law was solely created for the FTAA. But Regalado recently admitted that he proposed it to deal with the "unique circumstances" of the trade meeting -- and to prevent the kind of violence seen in other cities.

(snip)

"Had it not been for the FTAA, I would have never done that," he said. "But we were bombarded by scenes of Seattle and Washington and wanted to protect the lives of the residents."

I think i read something like they banned or were going toban flags and signs on sticks that had a point masks/bandannas and i think padding expect to see this same shit happen at the RNC

[rasputin1952]

1. Did anyone tell him that it was the police...

in Seattle that started the 'riots'.

Perhaps he should have looked at that a little closer. I wonder if he watched that NOW w/Bill Moyers about how the police are infiltrating peaceful groups and inciting violence?

just a thought.

O8)