Protestors May Get Charged For Free Speech

[kpete]

Tuesday, April 18, 2006 -
Lee considering making protesters pay for march’s costs; ACLU says it’ll step in if organizers get bill

By Julio Ochoa (Contact)

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Lee County commissioners are expected today to discuss whether to make organizers of last week's protest march pay for additional costs the county incurred, but they may be wasting their time.

The county has no legal standing to charge organizers anything based on rulings from similar court battles, said Howard Simon, executive director of the Florida chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

"Governments don't tax the exercise of constitutional freedoms, that's why we have municipal budgets and publicly funded police departments," Simon said. "People don't pay to exercise their First Amendment rights, that is contradictory to how the Constitution works."

More than 75,000 people marched on downtown Fort Myers to protest proposed immigration reform measures in Congress —
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/apr/18/county_considering_charging_protest_organizers_cos/?local_news

[Sinti]

1. Free speech isn't free n/t

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

2. Please elaborate. You think this charging is reasonable? -nt