The Presidential Inaugural Committee is blocking the Women's March access to the Mall

[nolabear]

I can't link just now but Time.com is reporting that they've bought up all the permits for all the streets around the inaugural site and the Mall for the weeks before and after the inauguration. This is going to get very nasty very fast, folks.

[Doreen]

1. And people do not

me when I say freedom of speech and expression are going to be taken away along with freedom of press.

[Angry Dragon]

2. Trump World opening soon near everyone.............except the wealthy

except the wealthy

[Control-Z]

3. Gawd, I hope it is poorly attended.

All that empty space around the worm. I'd turn on the TV to see that. But just long enough to laugh hysterically.

[bluedigger]

4. There's a permit quota for free speech in DC?

[csziggy]

5. Womens March on Washington Barred From Lincoln Memorial

Women’s March on Washington Barred From Lincoln Memorial
Cady Lang 2:57 PM ET

<SNIP>
According to The Guardian, the National Park Service, on behalf of the Presidential Inauguration Committee, has blocked access to the landmark by filing a “massive omnibus blocking permit.” This will bar protesters from most of the National Mall, Pennsylvania Avenue, the Washington Monument, and of course, the Lincoln Memorial for days and weeks before, during, and after the inauguration, which will take place on Jan. 20, 2017.

The Women’s March on Washington was organized for January 21, the day following the inauguration and was set to be held at the Lincoln Memorial. According to a Facebook event, over 136,000 people are due to attend. Now, with the blocking of access to many of the spaces commonly used to protest, participants will have to find space elsewhere—no easy feat considering how few public spaces to gather will be free during the time period surrounding the inauguration.

Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, said in a press conference for the Answer (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Coalition, said that she’s worked on court battles for protest access on inauguration before, but this instance is “extremely unique” in that it banned access to public land (which Answer Coalition’s press release notes, are “historic spaces for dissent”) for protesters days after the inauguration.

“It hasn’t come up in any way previously, where you’ve had a groundswell of people trying to have access on the Saturday, January 21, and thousands of people want to come, and the government is saying we won’t give you a permit,” she said. “What they’ve done is take all of these spaces out of action.”
http://time.com/4595399/women-march-washington-barred-lincoln-memorial/

[hatrack]

6. FUCK. THIS. SHIT.

.

[csziggy]

8. The Park Service said the areas are "construction zones"

When I was in Washington touring the National Mall on November 7 & 8 the only construction I saw was of the stands for the inauguration. They were taking down the scaffolding around the Capitol Building and cleaning some of the statues along the Mall. Our guide said that work was being done so they would look good on January 20.

How can they stop thousands of people simply showing up to sight see on any particular day?

[CTyankee]

9. Get the ACLU to fight this on the First Amendment for

"the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

This is a classic First Amendment case and the ACLU will be all over it...

[nolabear]

12. Thanks! I was out and couldn't link but this is it. Bastards!

[pinboy3niner]

7. It's rigged!

To borrow an expression I heard somewhere...

[MFM008]

10. Sue for access

Fucksticks.

[onethatcares]

32. fuck that

show up for the shit parade and be ready to be shot with rubber bullets.

Live on all the networks.

How the fuck can they get away with this?

[HipChick]

11. This is how it starts...America loses it's right to protest..

[nolabear]

13. They'll call it unlawful and discredit it. I fear cops lining the streets.

Blocking access. Will they be willing to teargas and flash bang their mothers, sisters, daughters?

By my count thousands will be there. This is not going to go down easy.

[demmiblue]

14. Another source (Think Progress):

Trump gets to decide where in DC groups can protest his inauguration — if at all

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Hundreds of thousands of people from across the country plan to pour into the nation’s capital to protest Donald Trump’s inauguration in late January. But the National Park Service has reserved most of D.C.’s iconic public spaces for the exclusive use of Trump’s Inaugural Committee, not just on Inauguration Day itself but for the weeks leading up to and following the ceremony. Protest groups will have no access to these spaces unless the Committee voluntarily gives up their permits, which they have no incentive to do.

Local legal groups, including the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, call this move unprecedented and unconstitutional, and they say they are weighing legal action.

“This blocking permit that the National Park Service filed is an affront to the First Amendment. It is a violation of free speech rights, and it is a violation of the democratic process, in which voices must be heard,” said Carl Messineo, the organization’s legal director. “Collective assembly is in the very first amendment to the bill of rights because it is so essential to the functioning of a vital and healthy democracy.”

The Park Service has granted Trump’s Inaugural Committee the right to reserve all of Constitution Avenue, all of Independence Avenue, Lafayette Park, the White House sidewalk, and the Ellipse at the base of Capitol Hill — from January 6 to January 30.

https://thinkprogress.org/trump-gets-to-decide-where-in-dc-groups-can-protest-his-inauguration-if-at-all-13d9546edde0

Arsehole.

[Vinca]

15. How do they think they can arrest a million women?

[suffragette]

16. Proves the point that the march is more needed than ever.

[nolabear]

19. Amen!

[brooklynite]

17. There is no inherent value in holding this in DC

Hold one in every major and minor City

[nolabear]

20. Yes there is. It is a stunning visual and a massive effort to do.

Being willing to go to those extremes and in those numbers to match right up his nose is important. And many cities are holding them as well.

[pstokely]

24. and every small hick town

nt

[s-cubed]

18. So we just show up anyway!

[nolabear]

21. ...

[Squinch]

31. I plan to.

[roamer65]

22. March anyway...march right up to the Capitol.

Make the tear gas flow!

[nolabear]

23. I hope people get training and take supplies.

Gas masks, goggles, milk, wet cloths, padded clothing, fully charged phones and extra chargers, and lots of wisdom from people who know about passive resistance.

[bdamomma]

28. yes being prepared is very important

and please record the march because you know the media will not be showing the revolution.

[RandiFan1290]

25. Go anyway and tear down the barricades

The republicons were allowed to do it

[Achilleaze]

26. The Republican War on Women, Phase 666: The Attack on Territory

"Get back in the freakin kitchen now, you useless slob. Make me a sandwich and get me a beer." - Republicans

[bdamomma]

27. They cannot hide us from cameras

and there will be more women out there marching. The emperor has no clothes what a sick man, he denies dividing the states and people.

[bdamomma]

29. K&R

[nolabear]

30. On Stephanie Miller there's talk of getting residents to actively support and allow yard access.

I don't know how far it will go but they were discussing asking people in the area to display supportive signs, help with supplies, allow people to gather on their property, etc. They also are encouraging people to bring air horns to the inauguration.