Georgia Passes Laws Limiting Protests

[Snellius]

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) - Robert Randall never knew free speech could cost so much - in dollars and in compromises - until he tried to organize a large-scale, peaceful demonstration for this summer's G-8 summit.

The coastal city of Brunswick, where Randall hopes to gather up to 10,000 people to protest the world leaders' summit, passed a law last month that places conditions on public demonstrations.

Organizers of protests like Randall's ``G-8 Carnival'' must put up refundable deposits equal to the city's estimated cost for clean up and police protection. Demonstrations may only last 2 hours, 30 minutes. Signs and banners may not be carried on sticks that might be brandished as weapons. And the signs may not be larger than 2-by-3 feet.

``This law would not exist if the G-8 was not coming here,'' said Randall, 51, a local therapist who has attended demonstrations since the Vietnam War. ``It makes it impossible to express oneself through assembly or speech on public property unless you have money.''

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-399...

[aquart]

1. And another happy case wends to the Supreme Court.

[SemperEadem]

16. it'll be thrown out--it's unconstitutional

[freetobegay]

2. This is another reason

Amongst many recently, Civil disobedience seems to be the only option!

Democracy is becoming a joke in this Country!

[JohnOneillsMemory]

3. "...all the free speech you can afford..." n/t

[ultramega]

4. This is sickening.

Where the hell is Atlanta in all of this? Atlanta has a large African American population and is one of the largest cities in the U.S. and has tons of liberals so why in the heck is GA letting itself be dominated by Neanderthals? Voting Districts?

Outrageous that someone would have to pay to exercise one's constitutional freedoms.

[Karenina]

6. The Best Democracy Money Can Buy

by Greg Palast

[catmandu57]

5. The cat's out of the bag

The pukes are going to eat the nyc convention contracts and move down to hotlanta.

[ultramega]

10. OMG, that's it.

They've got all of GA on Diebold now, so it's a piece of cake.

[walmartsucks]

7. Shameful

Absolutely shameful

[dArKeR]

8. America! The people of the world look to, for what?

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Have we reached the point where Georgia, USA

is less free than Georgia, the ex-Soviet republic? You know that a few years ago, you always have assumed a headline like this referred to the Georgia in Europe.

[makhno]

12. Wow

You are so right! I read this and was getting ready to go into a rant about the US supporting yet another pseudo-democratic puppet regime, but I guess one doesn't need to look to foreign shores for signs of totalitarianism nowadays.

Appalling.

bm

[orthogonal]

11. Our Hypocrisy

Lower down in the linked article:

Activists also have complained that security plans for so-called ``free speech zones'' at the Democratic Convention in Boston will keep protesters from being seen or heard.

After we're done complaining about the mote in Georgia's eye (and we should, it's reprehensible and unconstitutional), perhaps we can turn our attention to the beam in our own eye?

As Democrats, we should set an example and insist that Boston allow full and free protest, without limiting it to those Orwellianly named "Free Speech Zones".

Any gain we get in image spin by restricting demonstrators' freedoms in Boston will be more than offset the rot of hypocrisy and injury to liberty that will come of not objecting to Free speech Zones at the Democratic Convention.

[makhno]

13. Free Speech Zones?

Please enlighten the unenlightened. Is this something the city is planning to set aside for protesters at the Democratic Convention?

bm

[Earth_First]

14. Quarantined free speech

where people opposed to Bush policies (and sometimes sign-carrying supporters) are quarantined. These zones routinely succeed in keeping protesters out of presidential sight and outside the view of media covering the event. However, someone carrying a Bush/Cheney 2004 sign or message may gather directly in front of the venue.

[orthogonal]

15. Democrats complicit

Please enlighten the unenlightened. Is this something the city is planning to set aside for protesters at the Democratic Convention?

Yes.

Boston will require persons protesting against the Democratic Convention to assemble only in designated areas removed from the convention, so as to lessen public and media exposure of the protests.

It's was disgusting when Bush and company did in Philadelphia in 2000, and it's even more disgusting when -- for Christ's sake -- Democrats do it.

It's pure suppression of First amendment rights.

Not in my name, damn it.

[newyawker99]

17. Hi orthogonal!!

Welcome to DU!!

[ldf]

18. maybe there should be organized protests

at the democratic convention by we democrats. if they want to play the publicity game, lets have the democratic party fighting the Democratic Party for the cause of free speech and freedom of assembly.

that would make really nice headlines.

it would also show that the grassroots of the democratic party are truly the americans on the side of freedom.

[absolutezero]

19. Congress shall make no law...

respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

[bonemachine]

20. Sadly,

Congress isn't...