We also had to get a permit to have a giant block party that closed off three streets and drew four thousand people. Same reasoning.
Comment on Doesn't the need for a permit fundamentally contradict the US's ideals of free speech?
JackDark@lemmy.world 6 months ago
My understanding is that the permits essentially allow you to disrupt things like traffic by having sections of the city cordoned off for gathering/marching. Take this with a grain of salt, as I’ve never had to actually deal with the permitting myself.
HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 6 months ago
thanks_shakey_snake@lemmy.ca 6 months ago
Yeah, that’s accurate-- The permit has nothing to do with speech, it has to do with use of public space. Where I’m from, the police will come and block off streets and manage traffic to keep demonstrators safe. Without the permit, everyone would still be allowed to say more or less whatever they wanted, but the logistics of the gathering could create a hazard, and that’s just a gray area that everyone is just better off avoiding.