Protesters want to know march route for Day 1 of RNC convention

Area antiwar groups, hoping to get near the Xcel Energy Center for a Sept. 1 antiwar march, have filed suit to force the city of St. Paul to OK the route.

By RANDY FURST, Star Tribune

Last update: March 24, 2008 - 11:03 PM

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Local antiwar groups filed suit in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis Monday seeking an injunction to order the city of St. Paul to grant a route for a demonstration on Sept. 1, the first day of the Republican National Convention.

Accusing city officials of violating protesters' free speech, the suit says those officials frustrated their efforts to get a march route from the State Capitol to Xcel Energy Center and back to the Capitol.

Named in the suit are Mayor Chris Coleman, St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington and his assistant chief, Matt Bostrom, who is in charge of security for the convention.

"City officials are not keeping their promises or upholding city ordinances, and that is what brings us here today," said Jess Sundin, a spokeswoman for the Coalition to March on the RNC, standing in front of the U.S. Courthouse with a group of protesters and lawyers to announce the lawsuit.

"The only thing standing between the Republicans and a massive antiwar protest on September 1 is the ill will of the city of St. Paul, namely Mayor Chris Coleman and Assistant Police Chief Matt Bostrom," she said.

St. Paul police spokesman Tom Walsh disagreed. "We've worked hard to make sure all viewpoints have been heard through the planning process, including the Coalition to March on the RNC," he said. "We've done more to protect free speech than any other convention city before us. We're proud of that and we're going to continue to move forward in good faith in planning a safe convention for the thousands of visitors here in September."

City Attorney John Choi said: "The city has and will continue to act appropriately and work with interested parties in issuing parade permits pursuant to the city's permitting ordinance."

A motion for a preliminary injunction to force the city to set a route was also filed by the protest group. The case was assigned to Judge Joan Ericksen with a hearing date of May 16.

The march will oppose U.S. involvement in the Iraq war, and is expected to draw thousands.

U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona is expected to be nominated at the Sept. 1-4 convention.

Protesters, who want a route that takes them close to the Xcel, applied for a permit more than a year ago, but were turned down because city officials said a city ordinance mandates permits can be issued no more than six months in advance.

On March 1, police granted protesters a "conditional alternative permit," but it provided no definitive march route.

In a set of guidelines issued Feb. 29, police offered some possible partial march routes and cited major traffic and safety concerns that still must be addressed for a convention that has been designated a "National Special Security Event." The police said they'll set a route no later than May 31, although they reserve the right to revise the guidelines and permits if necessary.

The suit says the guidelines allow police "unbridled discretion." It was filed on behalf of protesters by attorneys David Potter for the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota and Bruce Nestor of the National Lawyers Guild.

The ACLU says that if protesters can get a judge to order police to select a route, and protesters feel it is too far from the Xcel, the suit gives them time to challenge it in court.

Randy Furst • 612-673-7382

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