Judge Blocks Anti-war March Near United Nations (Snicker Snicker)

WINS News ^ | 2/10/03

[areafiftyone]

(1010 WINS) (NEW YORK) The First Amendment rights of anti-war demonstrators have not been violated by the city's decision to block them from marching past the United Nations on Saturday, a federal judge ruled Monday.

Citing "this time of heightened security," U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones said the city's need to protect the public outweighs the right of demonstrators to proceed with plans to march past the UN.

"While the court recognizes the distinct importance of marching, the city's restriction on marching is not a restriction on pure speech, but rather a restriction on the manner in which plaintiff may communicate its message," Jones wrote.

The protesters will be allowed to demonstrate in a designated area near the United Nations. The demonstration is being organized by United for Peace and Justice, a coalition of anti-war groups that is sponsoring rallies throughout the world on Saturday.

The city had rejected a parade permit for Saturday's rally because police could not assure public safety for up to 100,000 people without better information from organizers, city lawyer Rachel Goldman argued in court last week.

"The First Amendment right is not absolute. The plaintiffs do not have a right to march or protest any way they want, wherever they want and how they want," Goldman said. "We don't have a general ban against protest marches in the city of New York."

Chris Dunn, a staff attorney with the New York Civil Liberties Union, argued that the city was using "a theoretical possibility something terrible is going to happen to cancel the right of people to participate in peaceful protest."

He accused the city of quietly adopting a blanket policy of refusing parade permits for certain parts of Manhattan.

The United Nations is considered an especially sensitive security landmark after it was included in 1993 as a target of terrorists who plotted to blow up five New York City landmarks. The plot was thwarted and a dozen men were eventually convicted and sentenced to lengthy prison terms.

[Lunatic Fringe]

I don't like this one bit. In the future, this sets a precedent of denying First Amendment rights in the name of "Security."

[firebrand]

I am getting tennis elbow from tearing these things down.

[amused]

I don't like this one bit. In the future, this sets a precedent of denying First Amendment rights in the name of "Security."

This is an expansion of the "free speech zone". And I agree there is something quite disconcerting about it. But how does the city protect its citizens and indeed the protesters themselves without a few restrictions? It is an interesting question with no black and white answer.

[firebrand]

Rachel Goldman (city lawyer) said at the hearing "It's not just a matter of another two million dollars and we can do it." Very clever. Getting the shockingly high cost in there. She also said, "We're not supposed to talk about them sitting down in the street, so . . ." Love it.

[DoughtyOne]

[firebrand]

The UN background would be for the photos all over the world. Propaganda, in other words. Also the U.S. Mission to the UN is right across First Avenue from the UN.

[firebrand]

The three reasons the lefty leader gave for wanting the march instead of just a rally were greater visibility, a chance for the protesters to participate in an active way instead of just listening, and to keep warm. Only the first is a possible valid reason, but they are going to have plenty of visibility through the media without the march.

[areafiftyone]

That's a great picture!!!

[areafiftyone]

I don't see what's wrong with a rally! They will get their message across anyways. THE ONLY REASON THEY WANT TO MARCH IS TO BE SEEN MORE AND GET MORE ATTENTION NOT BECAUSE THEIR CAUSE IS IMPORTANT! Afterall the people who march in these rallys are bought and sold by the anti-american commie/socialists.

[Alouette]

the city's need to protect the public outweighs the right of demonstrators to proceed with plans to march past the UN.

The Islamonazis who run the UN are afraid the "wimmin peace protesters" (who are really on "their side"--think about it!) might get nekkid in full view of some sensitive Mohammedans.

[areafiftyone]

Nekked? I know can you imagine the stench of 100,000 (YEAAA RIGHTTT 100,000 - they wish!) unwashed peaceniks - EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

[amused]

I don't see what's wrong with a rally! They will get their message across anyways. THE ONLY REASON THEY WANT TO MARCH IS TO BE SEEN MORE AND GET MORE ATTENTION NOT BECAUSE THEIR CAUSE IS IMPORTANT! Afterall the people who march in these rallys are bought and sold by the anti-american commie/socialists.

I still find it a bit disconcerting that government can regulate peaceful assembly (yes, I know that is a stretch with these guys). I understand this must be weighed against the protection of protesters and non-protesters alike. I do see it as a gray area question with no real correct answers. We should continue to point out ANSWER is running the SF protest even after they have been exposed. I don't know much about United for Peace the group that is running the NYC rally.

However, what should make conservatives fundamentally different is our upholding 1st amendment rights for all parties not just the ones we like. That is what the left does. I reserve the right to point out who exactly is behind these protests. I also reserve the right to point out restricting these protests in theory is wrong though with these dangerous times may be the right call in the short term.

It is not an easy question and certainly there are no easy solutions.

[Wurlitzer]

"Free speech sure costs a lot, "

Yes it can! It cost the founders and the people who fought for this country a lot more than dollars to insure we MAINTAINED our right to free speach. Please lets not throw it away because of a phoney illusion of security or we don't like or even detest the message. If nothing else, "free speach" was to protect political speach.

[areafiftyone]

United for Peace is sponsored by these groups:

Aaron Patterson Defense Committee
Academics For Justice
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
American Friends Service Committee
American Muslims for Jerusalem
American Renaissance
Americans for Social Justice
An Absurd Response to an Absurd War
Anti-Capitalist Convergence
Antiwar.com
Arizona Green Party
Asian American Movement E-zine
Black Radical Congress
Black Voices for Peace
Brockport Students Against War (BSAW)
CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities
Campus Greens
Center for Community Change
Center for Constitutional Rights
Center for Immigrant Families (CIF)
Center for Religion, Ethics, and Social Policy at Cornell University
Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment
Central Nebraska Peace Workers
Change the Game
Church Women United
Citizens for Participation in Political Action (CPPAX)
Citizen Works
Coalition Against Global Exploitation (CAGE)
Coalition for World Peace
Code Pink for Peace
Committee on Women, Population and the Environment (CWPE)
Committee to Free Pedro Pacheco
Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism
Concerned Families of Westchester
The Connected Collective
Democracy Rising
East End Women in Black
Ecological Options Network (EON)
Education for Peace in Iraq Center (EPIC)
Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Feminist Peace Network
Food Not Bombs, San Francisco and East Bay
FootPrints for Peace
Frontlines Newspaper
Georgetown Peace Action
Global Exchange
Grassroots International
The Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition
Green Alliance
Green Party of NYS
Green Party of the United States
Greenpeace
House of The Goddess Center for Pagan Wombyn
Houston Coalition for Justice Not War
Idaho Green Party
Independent Progressive Politics Network
International Socialist Organization
Institute for Policy Studies, Peace Working Group
Iraq Pledge of Resistance
A Jewish Voice for Peace
Jews for Peace in Palestine and Israel
Jews for Racial & Economic Justice
KhaYUMbia
Konscious Media
Lamorinda Peace and Justice Group
Left Party
Left Turn
LOKOJ – Bangladesh
Long Beach Area Peace Network (LBAPN)
Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives
Middle East Children’s Alliance
Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP)
Military Families Speak Out (MFSO)
Mobilize New York
Mothers Acting Up
National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression
National Coalition for Peace and Justice
National Council of Churches
National Lawyers Guild, NYC Chapter
Network in Solidarity with the People of the Philippines (NISPOP)
National Network to End the War Against Iraq
NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
New York City Labor Against the War (NYCLAW)
Nukewatch
Not In Our Name
Nowar Collective
Palestine Right to Return Coalition
Pax Christi USA
Peace Action
Peace and Justice Committee of Capital District Greens
Peace and Justice Task Force, Rocky Mountain Conference, United Church of Christ
The PeaceMongers Society
PeaceNoWar
PeaceRoots Alliance
Peninsula Peace and Justice Center
Pennsylvania Lesbian and Gay Task Force
People Against Oppression and War
Peoples NonViolent Response Coalition (PNVRC)
Pride At Work, AFL-CIO
Progressive Business Network
Psychologists for Social Responsibility
Queers For Racial & Economic Justice
Raging Grannies (Peninsula, CA chapter)
Rouge Forum
Ruckus Society
San Mateo County League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
San Miguel Peacewalkers
September 11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows
Shalom Center
Shepherd College Green Party
Shobak.Org (Outsider Asian Voices)
SOA Watch
Socialist Action
Socialist Party USA
Sojourners
Speak Out
Strategic Pastoral Action
Students Against Social Injustice (SASI), McKendree College
Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC)
Student Peace Action Network (SPAN)
Students Take Action for New Directions (STAND)
Students Transforming and Resisting Corporations (STARC)
Taking Aim
Texans for Peace
The Thomas Paine Project
Tikkun Community
TransAfrica Forum
TrueMajority
Undisputed Truth
United for Justice with Peace
US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation
United Students Against Sweatsops (USAS)
University of Maryland, College Park Peace Forum (UMCP Peace Forum)
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
US Peace Council
United Students Against Sweatshops
Veterans for Peace
Vietnam Veterans Against the War
Vukani Mawethu
War Resisters League
War Times
Washington Peace Center
West Sonoma County Women’s Peace Group
Women’s Action for New Directions (WAND)
Western States Legal Foundation
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, U.S. Section
Vanguard Public Foundation
Working Assets

[amused]

Why am I not surprised at some of the names there ;-)

[creamedcorn]

...they want to be roaming the streets, dirupting business and traffic at will.

No, they want a permit to march past the UN, which is actually the opposite of your assumption. Read the article.

[OldFriend]

They have the same permit as every other demonstration. In an pre determined area where ALL demonstrations take place. They are not satisfied with that, they want to march........

[areafiftyone]

Would you believe the Connecticut group of protestors chartered a whole train to NYC? Incredible amount of money being spent for this protest!

[amused]

Would you believe the Connecticut group of protestors chartered a whole train to NYC? Incredible amount of money being spent for this protest!

Well it's nice for the Sociaist and Green Parties across America pay for their own train instead of relying on the taxpayer dime. This could be a first ;-)

Or am I soon to be dismayed that because of a lawsuit/injuction these protesters will ride for free or are entitled to reimbursement? Because being a leftie in America means you never should have to pay for your mistakes. That's the evil "rich" guy's job.

[amused]

Lovely, unruly black bloc wannabes are now pushing for mass civil disobedience so they can paint the police in a bad light. Never a dull moment with the loony left.