Evansville officials plan appeal on arrest during Cheney visit

[Rose Siding]

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) -- City officials plan to appeal a federal court ruling that police officers violated a protester's rights when they arrested him during a visit by Vice President Dick Cheney.

City attorney David Jones said the decision to appeal came after the U.S. Department of Justice agreed to acknowledge the Secret Service mandated a no-protest zone for Cheney's appearance at a 2002 campaign fund-raiser for Republican Rep. John Hostettler.

The Justice Department had refused to assist the city after the Indiana Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit claiming that officers violated environmental activist John Blair's constitutional rights by arresting him for leaving the protest area.

"It wasn't fair to put local law enforcement in the position of having to enforce the plan and then not back our Police Department," Jones said. "The Secret Service left us holding the bag."

Federal Judge Larry J. McKinney ruled last month that forcing protesters to stay 500 feet away from the only entrance used by those attending the event went beyond what was needed for security.

http://www.jacksonholestartrib.com/articles/2005/04/11/news/wyoming/7bf1a5c805f134b187256fe00076d44a.txt

[izzybeans]

1. My parents know that guy-they are from E-ville.

He's pretty much the lone environmental voice down there. He hosted a fundraiser for the local dem. state rep. a while back. The yokals have had it in for him for quite some time-I hear.

He said he was one man standing on a sidewalk and when asked to move he asked if he could go to that parking lot. He did have a sign. I'm not sure what it says. he merely commented that both were public spaces. or something. I'm not sure when it was that he got arrested while still on the sidewalk or in the parking lot. I'll have to ask my father about the specifics. But it was completely absurd that this guy got arrested. He was just standing there basically. Can there be a one man assembly? he sounds like a pretty courageous fellow. They don' take kindly to us librls' 'round dim parts.

Downtown Evansville is pretty much dead but the place he was at "The Centre" is located near municipal parking and is surrounded by public sidewalks. It's nearly comical this guy got arrested.

[dxdem]

2. They need to

protest this full-bore. I'm wondering how intensely the congress/senate is going to look into *'s invitation only (ok, that might be a little inaccurate, more "progressive watch-list" denied entry type thing) tax-payer sponsored events. Hell if I want his events paid for with my money, and people like me can't even get in to run naked across the stage in the middle of his sermon.