It is not the government's "time place and manner" that is the issue here. They have already decided that people will get to stand on the side of the road while the motorcade goes by.
The sticking point is that the government is making a decision about what political speech it likes or dislikes. Then it is acting on that decision with the full force of law. It is granting those whose speech it likes access to a certain "time place and manner" and denying the same exact thing to those it disagrees with.
The original "time place and manner" decision was made so that order could be kept. For instance you couldn't shut down traffic. But traffic is already shut down. What is happening is government is exploiting a rule passed for one reason to expand its power to do something it is explicitly phohibited in no uncertain terms from doing: interfering with the people's right to protest their government in a peaceful manner. While this mission creep is low and despicible, it is hardly surprising and very obvious to all but the most obtuse person.
But these people are still allowed to make their speech, just not in the time place and manner of their chosing. Seperating people for content is already accepted and has been in common practice since the first time a protest drew a counter-protest. As long as they still get to make their speech no rights have been vioated. If they turn themselves into a public nuissance then all the laws that allow people to get arrested for being a public nuissance apply, you don't get special dispensation from existing laws because you're holding a sign.
I didn't say it's good. I said it does not violate the First Ammendment, and that's obvious to any but the most pathetic axe grinder.
354 posts to explain something that should be apparent to all! Amazing. I never thought conservatives could ever be as hypocritical as liberals or put partisanship above common sense and principle. You have the patience of Job Freeeee.