Quinn's Protest Permit Law Implications

NYPD NYC Christine Quinn Protest Banner Assembly Restrictions

Christine Quinn's Illegal Precedent : The Slippery Slope Of The Erosion Of Our Civil Liberties

The growing requirement for "protest permits" in New York City and Montréal, and the bans on certain protests against government officials and politicians from the United States to Canada, which bedevils the #OccupyWallStreet movement here in New York City, can be traced back to Christine Quinn, naturally.

In 2006, multiple courts ruled the City’s assembly rules unconstitutional, and City Council was charged with fixing them. Instead of conducting public hearings and placing the matter into the hands of City Council, Speaker Quinn abdicated her responsibilities and allowed the NYPD to write these rules behind closed doors.

In February 2007, she rubberstamped the new rules into effect. Suddenly, it became illegal for 50 or more people to gather and process through New York City—unless they request and are given prior permission from the police.

Speaker Quinn, who is the first openly lesbian politician to hold such a high office in New York City government, once had a reputation for being a progressive challenger to the status quo. But now she has sold out her liberal Democratic Party ideals in exchange for running a political machine. Once the police department saw that they could easily compromise and corrupt Speaker Quinn's values, it was not too much of a stretch to envision compromising the ideals of other spineless politicians.

H.R. 347 in the United States of America ; ''Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act''

H.R. 347 was signed into law on March 8, 2012, by President Barack Obama. The law, which prohibits protests, is so controversial that there wasn't even an existing page dedicated to analysis of HR 347 on wikipedia until this evening.

The federal anti-protest law ''makes it easier for the government to criminalize protest. Period. It is a federal offense, punishable by up to 10 years in prison to protest anywhere the Secret Service might be guarding someone. For another, it’s almost impossible to predict what constitutes 'disorderly or disruptive conduct' or what sorts of conduct authorities deem to 'impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions.'

Bill 78 in Quebec ; ''An Act to enable students to receive instruction from the postsecondary institutions they attend''

Bill 78, which was passed on May 18, 2012 by the National Assembly of Quebec, '' prohibits freedom of assembly, protest, or picketing on or near university grounds, and anywhere in Quebec without prior police approval. The bill also places restrictions upon the right of education employees to strike.''

The Globe And Mail reported that ongoing protests in Montréal have triggered a legal crisis, since the passage of Bill 78 : ''Bill 78 lays out strict regulations governing demonstrations of over 50 people, including having to give eight hours’ notice for details such as the protest route, the duration and the time at which they’re being held. Failure to comply could bring stiff fines for the organizers, but the law could be difficult to enforce.''

2012-05-Xx Policing the Right to Protest- G20 Report English