The park service is planning to close most of the sidewalk in front of the White House to protesters and to charge fees for demonstrations, according to the ACLU.
In a proposal, the park service wants to block off 20 of the 25 feet of White House sidewalk to protesters, with no stated reason.
Along with charging demonstrators for “elements that are special events” — the definition of which is unclear — the park department is considering fining protesters for damage to grass and fencing.
As the ACLU points out, the department has no such plans to fine the 45 million non-protesters who visit per year and put the landscaping through wear and tear.
The proposal also floats limitations on the right to spontaneously protest, saying that the demonstrations would only accommodated at the moment if the personnel and resources “can reasonably be made available.”
Per the ACLU, public comment on the proposal closes October 15.
I used to walk past the WH everyday and the place always has cranks of one sort or another, as well as organized protests, idiots with selfie sticks and the usual run of tourists. It does get closed periodically but only when there are heads of state in town, probably staying at Blair House across the street.
So there’s a protest fee, big deal. George Soros is picking up the tab, he can afford it.
Weak.
Keep it up and they will have bricked themselves in.
If’m sure if Obama did this, it would be as meh as it appears to be with the patriots, right? The U.S. is a victim globally, white men are victims nationally, and the biggest victim needs to be protected outside of the White House. Okay then.
Hey remember when Bush II made “approved” protest areas?
I guess the Park Service has never heard of “flash mobs.”
And finally we paid for the sidewalk, heck we pay for the WH, the being who lives there get paid by us, and now they’re telling us we don’t have a right to petition the government for a redress of grievances-Hell To the NO!