ACLU sues Seattle over enforcement of rally rules

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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/regionalpolitics/2001903782_aclu15m.html

ACLU sues Seattle over enforcement of rally rules

By Christine Clarridge
Seattle Times staff reporter

Seattle's rules about gatherings and marches in the streets are so vague, archaic and unwieldy that they violate the right to free speech, the local American Civil Liberties Union chapter contends in a lawsuit filed against the city yesterday.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle, specifically says the city's "Parade and Special Events" ordinances are unconstitutional because they allow city officials and police to set arbitrary conditions for demonstrations, and revoke permits without notice.

The ultimate goal of the lawsuit is to streamline Seattle's permitting system, said Julya Hampton, the legal program director for the ACLU of Washington.

"Marching in the streets is a traditional way for Americans to express their political views," Hampton said. "Yet activists in Seattle have long experienced difficulty in seeking to hold peaceful marches."

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