So says Stroman, speaking for the police. Testimonial evidence by DPS doesn't back him up (it contradicts him), and the franchise operator disagrees with him too.
-- You do realize it would have been a violation of the 1st Amendment for the police to do much more than that, don't you? --
What exactly would the cops do that was a violation of (somebody's) first amendment right? I've suggested the cops arrest a few of the ringleaders either on open warrants or some pretense. They could let them go after questioning if there isn't a valid charge. Cops hassle people all the time. You can beat the rap, but you can't beat the ride.
Someone figured it better to go for the grand bust, it appears. Not thinking that they were not going after doormats.
“What exactly would the cops do that was a violation of (somebody’s) first amendment right?”
Preventing people from assembling.... clear violation of the first amendment. That is what people seem to be retroactively demanding that the cops should have done.
“I’ve suggested the cops arrest a few of the ringleaders either on open warrants or some pretense.”
Which probably wouldn’t have stopped the rest of them from showing up, so people would still be complaining and trying to find a way to pin this criminal-initiated violence on the cops.