To Prepare for Republican Convention, Tampa Restricts Protests

[struggle4progress]

By COLIN MOYNIHAN
Published: July 22, 2012

During the last three Republican national conventions, police officers have arrested hundreds of people as the gatherings have drawn thousands of protesters objecting to the party’s positions on a range of issues, from wars to the economy to the environment.

But this time around, the protesters planning to gather in Tampa the last week in August hope their ranks will be swelled by the Occupy movement, whose members have said that they see the party’s expected nominee, Mitt Romney, as the embodiment of a financial system that favors the rich and corporations over ordinary citizens.

Now, in an effort to control demonstrations and prevent disturbances, officials in Tampa are taking unusual steps that they say will help ensure public safety but that many demonstrators and civil liberties advocates say will place unacceptable limits on public dissent.

In May the city adopted a temporary ordinance that will clamp down on protests in dozens of blocks near the Tampa Convention Center. Among other things, the ordinance requires a permit for groups of 50 or more to gather in parks; sets a limit of 90 minutes on parades; and bans an array of items, including glass bottles, aerosol cans and pieces of rope longer than six feet. It also provided for an official parade route for protesters along with viewing areas ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/23/us/politics/to-prepare-for-convention-tampa-restricts-protests.html?_r=1

[elleng]

1. And it took NYC HOW long to resolve the s**t that occurred there last time?

[freshwest]

2. Free Speech Zones again. Nice.

[HooptieWagon]

3. The Mayor is a Democrat,

but hes acting very repukish regarding the convention.

[glowing]

5. Not exactly.. The Tampa area for this

convention was a dumb choice.

Anyone who knows the area would know how easy it would be to make serious jam ups in the Convention area... It's more about traffic in an area that is a pain in the ass on a normal business day.

There are 3 public schools and 1 college that are going to have a ton of trouble getting the kids in and out via bus or commute. It's a nightmare situation in the making if it was only Pukes showing up. It wouldn't take much to shut off the pathways into the convention.

If they wanted a FL location, Orlando would have been the better choice. I live in the area and u can't pay me enough to even try to drive downtown for anything, let alone try to go anywhere near the convention site area.

I know it's money for the area during a time that hotels and tourist attractions begin to die down because the FL kids go back to school a couple of weeks into august, but it's going to be hot, crowded and I'm not sure how smooth things will go?

And 50 people standing around... That's a restaurant full of people having a luncheon. It's going to be a difficult week to say the least.

[HooptieWagon]

6. I live here.

Many downtown office workers have planned to work from home. I dont think the worry was about protestors blocking traffic, its about protestors period. Mayor doesn't want Tampa to have all those long hair hippie protestors that might upset his buddies at the Chamber of Commerce.

And yea, Orlando would have been better.

[glowing]

11. Of course the Tampa mayor would want to showcase Tampa in a good light...

It is a Tourist area, as is many "coastal" communities around the Gulf. If reporters are talking more about traffic congestion, confusion, scuffles between protestors - event goer's - and the security teams, its not going to look all that pleasant... It will give a bad name and reputation to the area. AND we all know how the police asses can be in FL anyway. How many times in the jail have they caught police people on their own tapes doing harmful, crazy things to those they've arrested... Like the officer dumping a wheel chaired man out of his wheel chair.. and there have been more than a few problems over at the Orient Jail...

On top of everything, the Pukes and their man main this year, represent the 1% and their extreme greed and contempt for the "little people"... It was probably the worst choice in Republican candidates to have come about in this time of economic instability for most of America... and the gilded class seems to be in a bubble of "let them eat cake".

AND all the "fundraising" parties are being held all over the area as far away as Sarasota. I'm sure they will have some sort of upper class events on Davis Island and a few posh selected areas in Palm Harbor at Innes Brook and perhaps a St Pete Don Ceasar event.

I work at a hotel in Clearwater, FL. Most of our hotel is rented out at this time for security. They will be in about 1 wk prior to the the actual event and 1 wk after the event... We are a good 30 - 40 mins from the Downtown area on a normal work week. The security people are going to have a nightmare time getting themselves into place for their shifts. All in all, we will have off-duty police personal hired for shift rotations, Homeland Security, FBI, Secret Service, and private security for the wealthy persons and other various representatives coming into the area to give speeches, attend, etc. Our rates alone have jumped to Spring rates of $100 for the smallest, cheapest room. So, for my workplace, its a blessing for that type of money for the end of August which is normally a very slow time. However, bringing in security from around the country to coordinate the event in FL in August with the heat and our world famous thunder/ lightning storms is going to make both protestors and security a bit testy I believe.

The rules in place for protesting are actually an improvement over what they first wanted to implement.

[HooptieWagon]

14. Yes, business will be good for some.

Hotels are booked solid. The bigger resturants are reserved solid. Strip clubs have hired extra dancers and staff, they're expecting a booming business.
However, I know several owners of small resturants and bars on Davis Islands. They have no reservations. They are worried that even their local regulars wont be stopping by that week. Their plans are to stay open and see if they get a walk-up crowd. If business is poor they'll close early, if business remains poor they may just close for the week.
Business owners I know farther north, at Ellas and Skippers, hope for a bit of extra business, but are confident their normal crowd will be there regardless.

[glowing]

15. Skippers is up by the University...

I'm not thinking they will have the problem that the downtown areas will.

The protestors will have to be mindful that there are a few "federal" buildings downtown that could cause them issues. And the banks will probably have extra guards too. Occupy scares them normally.

[HooptieWagon]

16. I know where Skippers is, I lived a few blocks away when it opened.

I still go there regularly, know Tommy and some of his employees very well. I doubt they'll see much difference either way. Ernie Locke's place, Ellas Americana Folk Art Cafe, is a bit closer and a current "hip" place, they could see a bit of a boost.
The places that might see a drop are the smaller places just outside downtown... Davis Islands, and SoHo for instance. They're not touristy places, they rely on locals, and I think most locals will be staying at home.

[gtar100]

4. Well we can't have any of that kind of nonsense disrupting democracy.

That is democracy US-style.

Seriously, these "officials" are either brain-dead on civics (their chosen profession, as ironic as that may be) or they are being told to do this by a bunch of higher-ups in the party ranks.

[Scootaloo]

7. But at least you can bring your weapons into the convention

I wonder how many bumper stickers proclaiming "the second protects the first" will be unironically purchased at this event.

[HooptieWagon]

12. That is not true.

Weapons are not allowed in the convention, nor in the " convention zone" immediately outside. Guns are permitted in the "safe zone" , which is more or less the downtown area, but other items are not.

[tanyev]

8. I really wish liberal protestors would give this one a wide berth.

GOP wants to set up a circular firing squad this year? Let them.

[HooptieWagon]

13. There are several peaceful marches and protests planned

in the downtown area during the convention. I hope they remain peaceful, on the part of both sides. Inside the convention, I do hope for a chair-throwing, fisticuff, floorfight between the Paulbots, teabaggers, and GOP establishment. That would be highly entertaining.

[Berlum]

9. Republicans HATE the first amendment

[turtlerescue1]

10. Does this coincide

with the post?
www.democraticunderground.com/1002939166
[link:htt://www.democraticunderground.com/1002939166|

And no, I don't know what I'm doing to post the link!

But a DUer posted about the permit by the "Coalition to March on the RNC".