Judge upholds "free speech zone" but permits march on FleetCenter

[Rose Siding]

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/

What "protests have become increasing violent"?

[Fridays Child]

1. I guess his bench is a proof-free zone.

Apparently, he can make the kinds of unsupported statements that he would never accept from litigants.

[Algomas]

2. Yet more intimidation of our rights to free speech and assembly...

Their over the top repressive reactions send a clear message to all of us. Stay home and shut up. Is it true that the Boston police chief is that Nazi from Miami who orchestrated the massive police assault on protestors there?

[JDPriestly]

3. Los Angeles looked like a police state

during the 2000 convention. It was disgusting -- no tables and chairs outside restaurants, police all over. I thought I was in some totalitarian country. Just awful.

[izzie]

4. Seems we have Cromwell style of govt. back.

If you recall history this was one of the big things that led us into fighting England.And some of it right in Boston.

[Norquist Nemesis]

5. Thank you George Bush.

We've been commenting about Bush's zones since the jerk took up residency. I don't blame the Dems for finding it necessary to set up the FSZ. In this case, I really do believe it's for the safety of everyone.

I still think all of Faux Views should be chained in there though, including Colmes. It's the safest place for all of them.

[silverpatronus]

6. you can't blame bush for this one

the dems should have taken this opportunity to show how different they are from the neocon 'republicans'. i'm disappointed in the dems here. 'free speech zones' are against free speech.

[Gin]

7. Don't these 2 rulings contradict each other?

if you need a cage for protection...why permit a march to go right in front of the building?

[Norquist Nemesis]

9. Perhaps. But it's still more open to allowing protests/free speech

than Bush and the Republicans have allowed. What's truly ironic is how the protest groups are screaming 1st amendment violations while they stand up and cheer for peaceful protestestors wearing anti-Bush t-shirts get arrested and thrown out of GOP events. Or they claim no rights are being violated when Bush's freedom zones are set up miles from his appearances.

[Norquist Nemesis]

8. I disagree.

Given the lengths this administration will go to keeping it open after all of the heightened warnings of an attack would be a mistake. Imagine if some home-grown extremist decided to put a bomb under a bench (like with the Olympics). It would be a disaster for Kerry and the Dems because they did not take 'precautions'. Set aside any deaths and injuries, the spin would be that this is what Americans can expect if Kerry is elected.

I don't see that the Dems have a choice.

edit to add - I agree with you that free speech zones are against free speech. I just think that it had to be done and that's because of Bush in many ways.

[Bandit]

10. So will the Boston Police who plan on picketing (protesting) have to go

to the Free Speech Zones? Remember this is not a real Picket it is only an informational gathering. IOW a Protest.