Judge upholds free speecn zone but allows march on convention

[rawstory]

Damn does it make me mad when Drudge does those breaking news bull then provides no details.... More convention news from The Raw Story, http://rawstory.com

By Theo Emery, Associated Press | July 22, 2004

BOSTON -- A federal judge ordered the city on Thursday to allow protesters to march directly past the site of the Democratic National Convention, but refused to change a nearby protest zone, despite calling the fenced-in area "an affront to free expression."

Judge Douglas P. Woodlock ruled on two separate lawsuits filed by protest groups this week. The first was from several groups challenging the city's denial of their request to march past the FleetCenter on Sunday afternoon, the day before the convention starts.

The second lawsuit was filed on Wednesday over a designated demonstration zone, a 28,000 square-foot area that protest groups said was too far from the convention and violated their free speech rights.

Woodlock ruled first on the march, saying the coalition of protesters made a "very powerful argument" that there is a symbolic importance to marching directly past the convention site.

But he entirely rejected the lawsuit brought by the Black Tea Society and other groups, saying it was "irretrievably sad" that precautions such as those at the demonstration zone were necessary, citing how protests have become increasing violent and terrorism has grown into a new threat since Sept. 11, 2001.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/conventions/articles/2004/07/22/judge_upholds_free_speech_zone_but_permits_march_on_fleetcenter/