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The ACLU of D.C. submitted a formal written comment expressing opposition to the National Park Service’s proposed regulation changes to protest rights in the nation’s capital. Arthur Spitzer the Legal Co-Director of the ACLU of D.C. writes that these changes would make events like MLK’s “I Have A Dream” speech too expensive to happen. If passed, the new rules would restrict demonstrations on 80% of The White House sidewalk, on the National Mall, and charge a fee for protests.
ACLU ACLU Public CommentSeptember 11, 2018: Advocates Are Calling It A “Protest Tax”
Writing for the Washington Post, executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund Mara Verheyden-Hilliard and the group’s legal director Carl Messineo shed light on a recent National Park Service proposal to revise demonstration regulations in the National Capital Region.
The two argue that the proposal is an attempt by the U.S. government to restrict access to public spaces for demonstrations in Washington by requiring an event management fee, calling it a “protest tax.”
The new regulatory proposal would also essentially eliminate the ability to protest on White House sidewalk.
A National Parks Service spokesperson says that demonstrations and protests are costly. In response, the authors write: “Free speech is not a cost. It is a value. It is a fundamental pillar of democracy.”
Washington Post NPS Draft Proposal Public Comment"If you have to pay for free speech it's not free"
The @NatlParkService is considering fees for demonstrations in D.C.. @ThePCJF is against the proposed plan, calling it an attack on free speech. WATCH: @WNCN @WFXRnews
Public comment on proposal —>https://t.co/AVjmzcvC7a pic.twitter.com/RnDAivc3Qm
— Brie Jackson (@PositivelyBrie) August 23, 2018
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