Pro-impeachment group sues over 'Free Speech Zones' at Republican convention

Raw Story
Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008

Impeach for Peace, a Minnesota-based group which plans to demonstrate at the upcoming Republican National Convention at St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center, has sued for space to demonstrate within sight and hearing of convention attendees.

Backed by the ACLU, the group calls the designated spaces to demonstrate "inadequate and unacceptably small," and too far from the venue to allow for free speech to be effectively executed.

The City Council and police also denied Impeach for Peace their due process, such as a window for public comment and public hearing, by not giving notice of the restrictions to be placed on demonstrators, the suit alleges. In addition, the city has reserved the right to change its guidelines at any time in ways that the ACLU contends violates the Minnesota State Constitution.

The entire complaint can be read at this link, courtesy of the American Civil Liberties Union.

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