1st Amendment Right to Assemble Under Threat in NY

The NYPD now requires a permit for any public gathering, or 'parade',
of 50 people or more. Section 1A of the city ruling defines a parade as
"any march, motorcade, caravan, promenade, foot, or bicycle race, or
similar event of any kind, procession or race which consists of a
recognizable group of 50 or more pedestrians, vehicles, bicycles, or
other devices move by human power, or ridden or herded animals
proceeding together upon any public street or roadway."

This "redefinition" is Explicitly Prohibited in 1st Amendment.

"Congress
shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;
or the right of the people peaceably to assemble ..."

This video
shows how they intend to regulate free assembly while physically
infringing upon the free press by following a typical monthly bike ride
through Manhattan. ~ Critical Mass 3-30-07



Click the Image to Watch the Video 
~ high res full screen versions are available
@ http://www.glassbeadcollective.org/CriticalMass_3-07.ht...

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If you're in NYC you can help challenge this "redefinition" TODAY
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A new group has formed which will seek to challenge the recent change in
rules for public gatherings.

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PARADE WITHOUT A PERMIT! Thursday, April 19th, 4PM at City Hall
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The group's tagline is: No One Can Be Queer For You.
http://www.radicalhomosexualagenda.org/parade_prelease....

Radical Homosexual Agenda
Press Release

On April 19th, The Radical Homosexual Agenda (RHA) and our allies will
hold a "Parade Without a Permit" at City Hall at 4 pm to protest the
recent NYPD ruling on parade permitting. The permit ruling has the support
of City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. Quinn, an out lesbian, claims to
be the voice of the LGBTQ community. However, despite public outcry and
opposition to the new parade regulations, Quinn has turned her back on
civil rights.

The NYPD now requires a permit for any public gathering, or 'parade', of
50 people or more. Section 1A of the city ruling defines a parade as "any
march, motorcade, caravan, promenade, foot, or bicycle race, or similar
event of any kind, procession or race which consists of a recognizable
group of 50 or more pedestrians, vehicles, bicycles, or other devices move
by human power, or ridden or herded animals proceeding together upon any
public street or roadway."

Giving the NYPD the power to deny permits for any public gathering is a
dangerous act. Freedom of assembly is a fundamental right granted to us by
the Constitution. As City Council Speaker and a prominent public figure
who claims to speak for the queer community, it is Quinn’s responsibility
to work against these repressive policies.

Quinn states, "The New York City Police Department's proposed regulations
for when and what activities will require parade permits are a substantial
improvement over regulations proposed earlier. We are very pleased that
the NYPD was receptive to our suggestions for a practical approach to
traffic and public safety issues (NYT 10/18/06)."

The Stonewall rebellion that sparked the modern gay liberation movement
shattered an environment of police repression and social marginalization.
Stonewall veterans and all people who have fought in our struggle have
worked tirelessly to reverse the systematic exclusion of LGBTQ people from
public life. We, along with all of our allies in the Civil Rights movement
- communities of color, immigrant communities, the women's movement - are
the ones who paved the way for Quinn to become City Council Speaker. Can
one imagine if the gay community had asked the police for a permit in
1970, when we gathered for our first Gay Pride parade to commemorate the
one-year anniversary of Stonewall? What would the police response have
been? For Quinn to claim to "represent the gay community" and then support
the denial of our civil liberties is a level of hypocrisy rarely seen.

As members of the LGBTQ community, we feel it is crucial to show our
opposition to Quinn and make it adamantly clear she does not represent us.
We will gather on Thursday, April 19 at 4:00 PM at City Hall Park for a
"Parade Without a Permit" to let Speaker Quinn and the rest of City
Council know that the police are not supposed to write laws. We will let
Speaker Quinn know that neither she, nor other City Council members who
support this ruling, can take queer and allied support for granted.

Contact:
Radical Homosexual Agenda
www.radicalhomosexualagenda.org
wewantyou@riseup.net

~ ~ ~
~ you don't have to be queer to help them fight for your freedom.
~ FluxRostrum