Trump administration proposes tough rules on T.U.R.D. protests

[Leroy N. Soetoro]

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/411204-trump-administration-
proposes-tough-rules-on-protests

The Trump administration is proposing to overhaul rules for protests in
front of the White House and at other iconic locations in Washington,
D.C., in an effort that opponents say is aimed at shutting down free
speech.

The National Park Service’s (NPS) proposal, for which public comments are
due by Monday, would close much of the sidewalk north of the White House
to protests, limit the ability for groups to have spontaneous protests
without permits in that area and on the National Mall and open the door to
potentially charging some demonstrating groups fees and costs for their
events.

The plan was released in August with little fanfare. But civil rights
groups have been sounding alarm bells in recent days as the comment period
comes to a close.

In making the proposal, the NPS cites its mandate to protect land, saying
that it wants to “provide greater clarity to the public about how and
where demonstrations and special events may be conducted in a manner that
protects and preserves the cultural and historic integrity of these
areas.”

But opponents see a connection to President Trump’s disdain for
protesters, and congressional Republicans’ denunciations of recent
demonstrations against new Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh as “mob
rule.”

They argue that the iconic places in Washington, D.C., that hosted Martin
Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech in 1963 and the Occupy
encampments in 2012 need to remain as welcoming as possible for the First-
Amendment-guaranteed right to protest, not just for D.C. locals, but for
people from around the country who travel to the nation’s capital.

Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, executive director of the Partnership for Civil
Justice Fund, said that while most recent administrations have tried to
crack down on protests covered by the NPS unit known as the National Mall
and Memorial Parks, the Trump effort is more significant.

“This administration’s come in with the most bold and consequential
overhaul. The consequences are enormous,” Verheyden-Hilliard told The
Hill.

“There’s never been such a large effort at rewriting these regulations,”
she said. “I don’t think there can be any question that these revisions
will have the intent and certainly the effect of stifling the ability of
the public to protest.”

While the proposal itself wouldn’t lead directly to fees being charged for
protests, it asks the public to weigh in on the possibility.

Verheyden-Hilliard was particularly critical of a proposal to reduce
distinctions between demonstrations and “special events,” which include
concerts and festivals. Demonstrations have previously been subject to
less scrutiny in permitting and can get their permits almost
automatically.

Under the proposal, those protections could change, especially if anyone
sings or dances at a protest.

“Speech plus music doesn’t lose its speech character,” she said. “If the
event is focused on expressing views and grievances, it is a
demonstration.”

The American Civil Liberties Union’s local chapter said in a blog post
that major protests like King’s speech could become too expensive for
their organizers.

“Managing public lands for the benefit of the American people is what
Congress funds the National Park Service to do. That includes
demonstrators just as much as tourists or hikers,” wrote Arthur Spitzer,
co-legal director of the ACLU of D.C.

Top Democratic lawmakers are also getting involved.

Rep. Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.), the top Democrat on the House Natural
Resources Committee, joined with Rep. Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.), his
counterpart for the House Judiciary Committee, and other Democrats this
week in denouncing the fee idea in a letter to Interior Secretary Ryan
Zinke.

“National parks must be accessible and open to the American public for
peaceful assembly,” they wrote.

“While the recuperation of costs may be an appropriate standard for
special events that are celebratory or entertainment-oriented, the
proposed shift could have the disastrous result of undermining the
freedoms of expression and assembly — which are fundamental constitutional
rights — in one of our nation’s premier public parks.”

NPS spokesman Brent Everitt said any fee changes would require a separate
regulatory proposal. But he nonetheless defended potential fees, citing as
an example the 2012 Occupy protests in downtown D.C.’s McPherson Square
and elsewhere, which cost the agency nearly $500,000.

“At this time, we want to have a genuine conversation with the public
about updating a comprehensive plan to best facilitate use and enjoyment
of the National Mall while preserving and protecting its monuments and
memorials. Permit fees and cost recovery considerations are just one part
of that overall conversation,” Everitt said in a statement.

He said the agency wants input on whether the costs to the agency are an
“appropriate expenditure of National Park Service funds, or whether we
should also attempt to recover costs for supporting these kinds of events
if the group seeking the permit for the event has the ability to cover
those costs.”

The myriad rules and standards for events on NPS land in the nation’s
capital have been shaped largely by decades of litigation. And if the
agency pursues a regulation like the one proposed, the lawsuits will only
continue.

“If these regulations go through in current form or a substantially
similar iteration, we are prepared to have them enjoined,” Verheyden-
Hilliard said. “We believe that they are unconstitutional and
fundamentally unsound. And moreover, they are unjustified.”

The NPS is taking comments through Monday on its regulations.gov portal.


--
Donald J. Trump, 304 electoral votes to 227, defeated compulsive liar in
denial Hillary Rodham Clinton on December 19th, 2016. The clown car
parade of the democrat party ran out of gas and got run over by a Trump
truck.

Congratulations President Trump. Thank you for cleaning up the disaster
of the Obama presidency.

Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp.

ObamaCare is a total 100% failure and no lie that can be put forth by its
supporters can dispute that.

Obama jobs, the result of ObamaCare. 12-15 working hours a week at minimum
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be funded with money people don't have, yet liberals lie about how great
it is.

Obama increased total debt from $10 trillion to $20 trillion in the eight
years he was in office, and sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood queer
liberal democrat donors.