ACLU FILES SUIT TO PROTECT RIGHTS OF PROTESTERS DURING PRESIDENT'S VISIT
St. Louis, August 26, 2003: The ACLU of Eastern Missouri will ask a Federal District Court Judge today to allow protesters to peacefully demonstrate outside of the St. Louis Convention Center where President George W. Bush will be speaking to American Legion conventioneers. The suit specifically asks a judge to ensure that protesters are allowed "within the line of sight of President George Bush's visit" and not any farther away from the Convention Center than supporters of the President.
During past presidential visits, protestors were taken by local police to so-called "designated protest zones," while supporters of the President were allowed to remain along the presidential motorcade route and near the area where the President appeared. The ACLU suit seeks to give protesters the same speech rights as supporters of the President, or those expressing no views.
"There is nothing more sacred in our country than political speech, and there is nothing more un-American than treating people differently based upon their political viewpoint," said ACLU of Eastern Missouri Executive Director Matt LeMieux. "We are simply asking the court to treat all political speech equally by ensuring that protesters are not herded up and taken away from the area near where the President will be speaking."
The American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri is currently representing four protesters who were arrested during past presidential visits for refusing to go to "designated protest zones." All four of the cases are pending in court.