"Warning of the consequences 'if protesters are allowed to run wild'" during the GOP convo, Minneapolis City Council Member Paul Ostrow 5/7 "offered a 'voluntary' plan to regulate demonstrations in the city."
"Although Minneapolis currently regulates street parades, it has no rules on sidewalk protests." Ostrow "proposed a 'voluntary registration plan' for sidewalk protests, but Council Member Cam Gordon said it actually was a mandatory plan because groups must get approval for public assemblies for more than 50 people in which pedestrians are unable to use the sidewalks."
"While there would be no penalty for failure to register under Ostrow's plan, the city could deny a permit for the action. A police decision 'to disperse or arrest assembly participants shall not be based solely on the fact that a plan has not been approved for the assembly,' the proposal says."
"The plan drew praise from business organizations and police and quick condemnation from protest groups." 3 of Ostrow's fellow council members "also criticized the plan at a hearing in which Ostrow cited anti-globalism protests in 1999 when the 'city of Seattle was shut down.'" Councilor Gary Schiff "said such remarks 'reflect panic,' which Ostrow denied" (Furst, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, 5/7).
Set It So The Rest Of Us Know Where NOT To Be
Antiwar groups planning to protest during the GOP convo "filed a memorandum in U.S. District Court" 5/5 "aimed at persuading a judge to issue a preliminary injunction later this month to force the city to set a route for a demonstration" on 9/9, the first day of the convo.
"A lawsuit filed by the protesters accuses city officials of violating their free speech rights, saying the officials have so far frustrated their efforts to obtain a march route permit from the State Capitol to Xcel Energy Center and back."
City officials have defended their handling of the protesters' permit application and have said they will approve a route no later than May 31, although they reserve the right to revise the guidelines and permits if necessary.
"In their memo, the protesters argue that they need time to find financial underwriters for their protest, publicize it widely 'and assure would-be protesters that St. Paul will treat them fairly.'" A hearing on the matter is set for 5/16 (Von Sternberg, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, 5/7).
Because It's Starting To Get Annoying
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) "has some news" for a cong. cmte: This year's GOP convo "will be based in St. Paul, not Minneapolis." The House Oversight and Government Reform Cmte "looked at hospital capacity to respond to a terrorist attack" in 7 cities. Along with Minneapolis, the cmte looked at Denver, DC, NYC, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston. The cmte report "found that the hospitals in those cities did not have the necessary capacity to handle victims for a terrorist bombing similar to the size of the" '04 Madrid bombing that killed 191 people.
The report also stated Minneapolis is the site of the GOP convo. McCollum: "I live in Minnesota, and I need to set the record straight. ... In the event of an emergency at the Republican National Convention, Regions Hospital in St. Paul, an excellent facility, will be the primary responder, with the (Minneapolis) hospital examined in the report providing support."
"After McCollum's comments, the committee simply moved on to the next lawmaker for questions without addressing her complaint" (Frommer, AP, 5/7).
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