Council Votes Overwhelmingly in Favor of the Right to Demonstrate at Republican National Convention The City Council on June 28 voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strong resolution calling on Mayor Bloomberg and government officials to protect New Yorkers’ First Amendment rights at the forthcoming Republican National Convention. The NYCLU and the New York City Bill of Rights Defense Campaign (NYCBORDC) strongly supported Resolution 389-A, and worked closely with Council Members to ensure its successful passage. “Today, the City Council went on record on the side of liberty,” said Donna Lieberman, Executive Director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. “We now know what the City has planned for traffic and transportation to accommodate convention delegates; but we still don’t know how the city plans to protect protest and how demonstrators will be accommodated. Today’s resolution calls for action to ensure that the City gives the same consideration to protesters as it gives to conventioneers.” The Resolution was introduced on June 7 by Speaker Gifford Miller, Deputy Majority Leader William Perkins, and Council Member David Yassky. The Governmental Operations Committee held a hearing on the resolution on June 16 in a room that was filled to capacity. Approximately one dozen organizations testified on behalf of the resolution. The City Council invited Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly to testify at the hearing, but the Commissioner declined the invitation. “We felt strongly that the City Council needed to take a stand to ensure that demonstrators are allowed to exercise their rights to freedom of speech and association at the Republican National Convention,” said Deputy Majority Leader Bill Perkins, one of the primary sponsors of the resolution. “The police did not respect the rights of protesters during the February 15, 2003 anti-war demonstration, and we wanted to ensure that with the RNC coming to town, the rights of protesters are protected.” NYCBORDC spearheaded the effort to pass Resolution 389-A in the City Council. The campaign is comprised of hundreds of volunteers dedicated to educating New Yorkers and lawmakers on post-9/11 civil liberties issues. It is a nonpartisan grassroots project of the NYCLU, in coalition with 95 organizations. “Members of the NYCBORDC and its broad coalition invested many hours after work and in their spare time to fulfill their deep conviction that this nation was founded on fundamental principles that must be protected even in a time of crisis,” said Erica Pelletreau, a volunteer with the NYCBORDC and co-facilitator of its legislative committee. “The right to assemble peacefully is fundamental, and we asked lawmakers to protect our First Amendment rights. What could be more patriotic?" Resolution 389-A calls on City officials to take numerous steps to ensure that First Amendment rights are protected during the Republican National Convention by: taking prompt action on permit applications; announcing a schedule by which decisions will be made regarding permit applications; refraining from the use of four-sided enclosures, known as “pens,” to confine people at demonstrations except in limited circumstances based on legitimate and reasonable security concerns; and allowing demonstrators within sight and sound of and in close proximity to the object of their demonstrations at the RNC.
“The people of New York must be given every opportunity to express themselves and take full advantage of their rights to assemble and speak, for whatever reason they choose to do so,” said Council Member David Yassky. “Lawn care cannot get in the way of free speech,” he added, referring to the reason given to United for Peace and Justice to deny its permit request to hold a rally at the Great Lawn in Central Park on August 29. Congressional Members have also expressed concern over protecting New Yorkers’ First Amendment rights at the RNC. Congressman Major Owens sent a Memorandum of Understanding to Mayor Bloomberg on June 9, signed by six members of the New York City Congressional delegation. The Memorandum was sent to the Mayor for his review and signature, but the Mayor has yet to respond to it. Signatories to the Memorandum along with Congressman Owens include Representatives Eliot Engel, Carolyn Maloney, Jerrold Nadler, Jose Serrano and Edolphus Towns. | 
