GG Bridge violating protesters' rights, judge says

[alp227]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

(01-13) 17:59 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- The Golden Gate Bridge District is violating demonstrators' rights by requiring small groups to obtain permits to use the walkway, banning bullhorns and handle-held signs, and barring protests after 2 p.m. on weekends, a federal judge has ruled.

The rules prevent spontaneous demonstrations, make other protests much harder to see or hear, and do little to promote traffic safety, U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel said in a Jan. 7 ruling.

Bridge officials presented no evidence that "an individual or a small group with a sign amidst the multitude on the bridge's sidewalks realistically presents a serious threat to traffic and safety," Patel said.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/13/BAA51H8N0H.DTL

[davidinalameda]

1. let them go play in traffic

and take their chances

[progressivebydesign]

2. That's idiotic!!

It's difficult enough to get across that bridge with the traffic speed, and tourists everywhere.. this is insane.

[Luminous Animal]

3. The tourists are not "everywhere" they are on the sidewalk. Neither they nor protesters...

ON THE SIDEWALK impede traffic. And there is no problem getting across that bridge. Sometimes the traffic is slow and sometimes it is not but whatever the conditions, everyone gets across the bridge. Thus, no problem.

[boppers]

4. "WIth the traffic speed"?

Last couple of times I crossed, people were hurtling through at clearly dangerous rates... exceeding 45/50 mph on an archaic bridge over (nearly) open water.

Then again, I live in Portland, Oregon, and every time I go south to California, I marvel at the sheer audacity of California drivers.

The whole state could likely fix its budget problems if they just installed some auto-ticketing traffic cameras. A few thousand or so should do the trick.... raising serious revenue, cutting state road maintenance budgets, EMS budgets, CHP budgets, and act as a progressive tax on the (many, many, many) overpaid assholes and suburban entitled who drive their sports cars and mommy-assault-vehicles over 55 in a clearly labelled 55 mph zone.