New York City Sued for Blocking Civil Rights Rally

[Dover]

New York City Sued for Blocking Civil Rights Rally
Fri Aug 13, 2004 07:14 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - An Arab American organization and an anti-war group said on Friday they have sued New York City for blocking a huge civil rights rally in Central Park just before the start of the Republican National Convention.
The National Council of Arab Americans and the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) said the city's action violated their free speech rights by barring the rally planned for Aug. 28.

The groups allege the city is wrongfully denying access to those who oppose the war in Iraq and Bush Administration policies. The Arab-American group is also protesting what it says is the Bush administration's use "of September 11 as a pretext to implement a system of unconstitutional racial and religious profiling" of Muslims.

The suit follows the city's rejection on Tuesday of a new bid by United for Peace and Justice, an umbrella organization of 800 anti-war groups, to stage the biggest rally of the Republican convention in Central Park....cont'd

http://tinyurl.com/5hceo

[truthisfreedom]

1. you gotta fight for your right to party, baby. i hope these groups get

some good press during their struggles. and i hope they protest anyway.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Could this be a trap?

I mean, could Bloomberg be denying these permits on purpse in order to set the stage for riots so that the Repukes can say that the Democrats are wild eyed terrorists or something? That's what I'm worried about-that and the FBI intimidation probes against protestors reported in today's NY Times.

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. Yep, looks like the repugs want trouble

It is up to the mayor to make sure the protests are as safe and peaceful as possible. Yet, he seems to be doing everything he can to make sure they are not. I guess keeping the grass looking good in CP is more important.

[Mike Niendorff]

4. certainly possible.

I think anyone going to NY must be aware of the possibility that the wingnuts will be aggressively trying to engineer an image of "violent protests", even if they have to instigate violence themselves in order to do it.

Be prepared, folks, and be careful up there.


MDN