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ACLU amends lawsuit as Denver Democratic Convention ‘free speech zone’ plans revealed
Nick Langewis
Raw Story
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
The infamous “free speech zone,” set to make a comeback at Denver’s upcoming Democratic National Convention, needs to be within earshot of delegates, a coalition of civil liberties advocates backed by the ACLU said Monday.
Chain link fencing or chicken wire at the end of the parade route, about 700 feet away from the Pepsi Center under the current plan, would separate demonstrators and protesters from other convention attendees, the Rocky Mountain News reported. The coalition have amended their pending lawsuit against the United States Secret Service and the City and County of Denver, filed in May, saying that the plan could violate the visitors’ First Amendment rights, echoing the corralling and effective silencing of protesters at the 2004 gala in Boston. A judge in that case had ruled the “free speech zones” unconstitutional, but said that the suit was filed too late to order that plans be changed.
“No human voice, or any other sound,” ACLU counsel said in Monday’s amended complaint, “can ever hope to reach a person at the entrance.”
(Article continues below)
The case will go to trial on July 29.
Preparations for the upcoming convention, for which Denver has been federally granted $50 million, may include military choppers, as seen during a mid-June Department of Justice drill, details of which could not be revealed by the Denver Police Department. Lt. Nathan Potter, a military spokesperson with Special Operations Command, called the exercise “routine preparation for the global war on terrorism.”
Denver Sheriff division chief Marie Kielar also told Colorado Confidential in May that her department is preparing for convention-related arrests to top 1,200. The City and County of Denver will not make publicly available detention plans, such as where those arrested will be held, before the convention. In addition to the May suit, the ACLU has demanded that the City and County make publicly available the procedures it plans to follow in processing those arrested at its downtown jail.
The Monday complaint called not only for a protest zone closer to the Pepsi Center, but also that it large enough to host all demonstrators, and for searches to be conducted only when there is probable cause.
“Simply put, we are going to abide by the Constitution,” Denver city attorney David Fine said Monday.
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9 Responses to “ACLU amends lawsuit as Denver Democratic Convention ‘free speech zone’ plans revealed”
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July 2nd, 2008 at 7:52 am
There should be no protest zone period. Free speech!!!!!!
July 2nd, 2008 at 8:19 am
Whats next,civil right zones?Your rights dont apply in this zone,sorry,come with us…
July 2nd, 2008 at 9:52 am
The ACLU should be fighting the whole concept of a free speech zone, not just where such a zone is placed. Fighting for something so trivial and not going for the gold here is tacitly accepting that the government has the right deny us our rights in certain places on American soil. It’s just disgusting.
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:36 am
When I read the United States Constitution it makes you think that the whole country is a free speech zone. The ACLUs attack on the scope or size of a free speach zone will by precident accept one.
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:27 am
ACTUALLY..NO2NWO..THIS CONCEPT..AND PRACICE..OF CIVIL RIGHTS ZONES..DOES AND HAS ..EXISTED FOR SOME TIME..
What do you think a “Drug Free Zone” around a school is?
These “Zones” are contric..and form a “ripple” effect if looked at on maps..especially in places like…Denver…with Neighborhood Watch Zones being the first form of this concept..these Zones..more and more..have begun to EXPAND..and are effectively being used to..”Corral” homeless and other “undesirables” and people who think they have rights..into a never ending ripple of “Zones” that deny you one..to seversl..of your civil rights…the “Drug” zones..are no longer really around the “Schools” they incorporate entire SECTIONS of towns.if you look at these zones..as defined by your city or town…look at the PARAMETERS..and draw a line..block by block..you will be AMAZED at how they OVERERLAP..forming..actually..what amount to..SMALL SPACES WHERE YOUR “RIGHTS” STILL EXIST..IN BETWEEN THESE GIANT CIRCLES OF “LESS RIGHTS” AND THE PIGS…WERE JUST ‘DOING THEIR JOBS’ WHEN THEY STOPPED AND SEARCHED YOU..THINKING..YOU WERE IN A “ZONE” WHEN IN FACT YOU WEREN’T..BUT OF COURSE..BY THAT TIME…YOUR “INFRACTION” IS PART OF THE…NOW NEVER TO BE DELETED…”RECORD”..AND OF COURSE YO WILL FACE A “PLEA-DEAL” AND PLEAD “GUILTY” TO WHATEVER “CHARGE” THEY HAVE PLACED ON YOU..LIKE “STANDING IN ONE PLACE..TOO LONG” (YES I HAVE SEEN THIS)AND SO EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE NOT IN A “ZONE” AND WEE NOT THEREFORE DOING ANYTHING WRONG..(BY THEIR DEFINITION) YOU ARE NOW ‘IN THE SYSTEM” AND THAT..BELIEVE IT OR NOT…QUALIFIES YOU TO BE…SUBJECT TO EVEN MORE RESTRICTIONS..AS THERE ARE NOW ZONES THAT INCLUDE LESS RIGTHS FOR PEOPLE WITHIN THE ZONES THAT HAVE A “RECORD” ETC..ETC..ETC..AD NAUSEUM..
I am serious..LOOK at your own ZONES..it really is a WAKE-UP CALL..THEY ARE OVERERLAPPING AND ENORMOUS…
LIVE FREE OR DIE!
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Oh yes thank you master for letting me put my cage next to the house where you can hear me… If you hear me bark can you fill my water bowl?
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:08 pm
I agree with David. The whole f*cking country should be one great big free speech zone. Don’t expect the ACLU to fight for freedom. “Civil liberties” is so Orwellian; the term assumes liberty is granted by the government and can be taken away by the government, when the Constitution clearly states that the freedoms/liberties as set forth by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are granted by God and cannot be taken away by the government.
Do some research on the ACLU. They’re nothing but a front group for the Rockefeller Foundation and Ford Foundation, and the ACLU’s top brass are all CFR scum.
July 3rd, 2008 at 7:38 am
Free Speech Zone = No Speech outside of those zones.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:51 am
Free speech zones are unconstitutional. NOTHING unconstitutional needs to be adhered too.
I hope large groups will form and NOT honor the free speech zones.
Each time we give in to tyranny paves the way for the 2nd encroachment and the 3rd, 4th and so on…