protest050708

Protesters ask court for help with GOP convention permit

Frustrated by St. Paul's response to their route plans during the GOP convention, marchers want an injunction.

Last update: May 7, 2008 - 1:12 AM

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Let's make some money at this convention

I have an excellant plan to help defer some of the security costs associated with this convention. It is no big secret that thousands of … read more filthy undesirable anarchists from all over the world will be descending upon are fair city with no other purpoe but to start trouble. After witnessing the WTO conference riots in Seattle some years back I thought why not charge citizens to use fire hoses to mow these despicable losers down. They could charge say, $20 for one minute of spraying the more misbehaved protesters. The purpose of this would be two-fold. The city could make some money and these professional trouble makers would be receiving some much needed showers. Have you ever been aroun a left wing protester? They tend to smell REAL BAD.

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Antiwar groups planning to protest during the Republican National Convention in St. Paul have sharpened their argument with city officials.

They filed a memorandum in U.S. District Court on Monday aimed at persuading a judge to issue a preliminary injunction later this month to force the city to set a route for a demonstration on Sept. 1, the first day of the convention.

"With less than 16 short weeks until the convention begins, the First Amendment cannot be told to wait further on the City of St. Paul," the memo said.

A lawsuit filed by the protesters accuses city officials of violating their free speech rights, saying the officials have so far frustrated their efforts to obtain a march route permit from the State Capitol to Xcel Energy Center and back.

City officials have defended their handling of the protesters' permit application and have said they will approve a route no later than May 31, although they reserve the right to revise the guidelines and permits if necessary.

The protesters argue that potential administrative delays and possible additional court challenges could run out the clock, giving them too little time to prevail in court should they be dissatisfied with the route or conditions of the permit. That, they said in the memo, is what happened in the run-up to the Democratic convention held in Boston in 2004. Protesters there complained that they were kept too far away from the convention site to have an impact.

Protesters applied for a permit more than a year ago but were turned down because city officials said a city ordinance mandates that permits be issued no more than six months in advance.

In their memo, the protesters argue that they need time to find financial underwriters for their protest, publicize it widely "and assure would-be protesters that St. Paul will treat them fairly."

A hearing on the matter is set for May 16.

BOB VON STERNBERG