Judge Rules Against NYC 'Occupy The Courts' Protest Organizers

NEW YORK -- A judge has ruled demonstrators don't have a First Amendment right to protest Friday afternoon in front of a New York City federal courthouse that has hosted several major terrorism trials.

Judge Lewis Kaplan said Thursday he wouldn't order the federal government to let an Occupy the Courts demonstration occur outside the lower Manhattan courthouse. He says the space isn't a public forum and the government acted reasonably in denying a permit.

A government lawyer says the courthouse poses unique security concerns in part because of terrorism fears.

Protest organizers had asked the judge to overturn the General Services Administration's rejection of their permit application. Their lawsuit said their First Amendment rights were violated.

The nationwide protest marks the second anniversary of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling against limits on spending by independent organizations.

 

 

Comments

[noahmarder]

12:13 AM on 01/23/2012

How would this clown judge define "public forum"? Did the governmental lawyers even have to make a case about why there were security issues, or did they hide behind the "classified documents" barrier? This is just another example of the Bill of Rights being used as toilet paper. WE THE PEOPLE must take this country back before there is nothing left to take back.

[mudshark12]

06:37 PM on 01/21/2012

They don't like protest rallies in front of the Supreme Koch either!

http://other98.com/citizens-united-supreme-court-action/

[leyvadaniel]

01:34 PM on 01/21/2012

Activist judges...

[Mailman]

08:41 AM on 01/21/2012

It's over now kids, go home because no one care anymore.

[Andrew Nutra]

02:10 AM on 01/22/2012

They like the attention too much.

[gmb007]

11:17 PM on 01/20/2012

"He says the space isn't a public forum and the government acted reasonably in denying a permit."

What a crockofcrap.

All of America is a PUBLIC FORUM.

What better public forum for free speech and dissent than in front of a federal court of LAW?

This judge is a joke.

[sks504]

09:50 PM on 01/20/2012

Open a job fair and the OWS losers will run away.

[Andrew Nutra]

11:26 PM on 01/20/2012

They're the generation that no matter how bad things get won't work with their hands nor work menial labor. They leave that to the migrants and say there are no jobs around.

[noahmarder]

03:19 AM on 01/21/2012

Maybe we'll work menial jobs when someone refunds our college tuition costs and opportunity costs of being in college. For our entire lives, we were told "If you go to college, you will get a good job when you graduate." People generally aren't receptive to making sacrifices after they've been lied to. sks504 should be aware (and probably is and doesn't care) that many OWS protestors are college educated and employed - not my typical definition of losers. People who spread lies and heavily biased invective are the real losers - and morally bankrupt ones at that.

[Sh00Fly]

02:08 PM on 01/21/2012

That's been stated about the generation prior to the one that you speak about.
The reality of the matter is that most people have a problem working for slave-wages.

[Sh00Fly]

02:05 PM on 01/21/2012

That makes no sense...Many of the OWS supporters are employed. Many of them are also working students.
It's time for you to turn off Corp.Media and join reality.

[scholar718]

06:17 PM on 01/20/2012

And I quote....."A government lawyer says the courthouse poses unique security concerns in part because of terrorism fears." If this is the case, the terrorists have won.

[CSConradEsq]

05:45 PM on 01/20/2012

The best way to occupy the courts? Show up for jury duty and vote your conscience. Refuse to convict if the law is unjust or is being unjustly enforced. Occupy the jury box!

[endcorporatecontrol]

03:07 PM on 01/20/2012

As a member of the occupy movement and a proponent of economic justice, I realize that getting corporate and billionaire money out of politics is key to getting a government for the 99% instead of the 1% who own most members of both parties of Congress right now. Tactically speaking, though, I feel the way to make the change is not to go back to many of the same corrupt incumbents who have been blocking real campaign finance reform and public campaign financing, and expect them to vote for a Constitutional Amendment that would regulate where a majority of their campaign donations come from. The way to get money out of politics is to use our social networks to replace bribe-inducing TV ads and elect pro-99% candidates who refuse corporate money and promise to vote to ban corporate campaign contributions. We need different politicians to pass different laws and create a system that works for the 99%. That's why I like the ten "fresh democracy" candidates who launched this week with www.BeYourGovernment.org . We need hundreds like them. THEY will VOTE TO AMEND in January 2013. Not the corporate bought politicians we have in Congress now.

[Ted229]

10:28 PM on 01/20/2012

As a member of the occupy movement and a proponent of economic justice

====================
You mean you are a proponent of something for nothing.

[Andrew Nutra]

11:27 PM on 01/20/2012

A member of the Percussion Revolution! Cue drum circle!

[ziggrl]

06:59 PM on 01/22/2012

Nicely stated. And I'm no fan of OWS. The problem is pro-99% candidates will eventually take that corporate money. They will have no choice if they want to get re-elected. The cake has been baked. There is no way anyone of them will vote to change things.

[Andrew Nutra]

01:18 PM on 01/20/2012

Quoting Nelson Muntz from the Simpsons: "Ha ha!"

[KittenSoldier]

01:00 PM on 01/20/2012

Don't you all wish that these occupy people would occupy a jail cell?

[Roelvdwegen]

01:41 PM on 01/20/2012

They have, close to 6000 arrests are not enough for you? Why do you have something against Occupy? And please use real arguments, if i hear any "dirty communist hippies" arguments this discussion is done.

[Capitalism Is King]

02:46 PM on 01/20/2012

6,000 arrests ..... oh yeah, just like the Tea Party.

[bigjakeIII]

08:12 PM on 01/20/2012

these clowns (OWS) have been here 4+ months without accomplishing anything
the internet changed congress mind about sopa /pipa in ONE day?
ows must feel so very ineffectual?

[Katie Colling]

11:13 AM on 01/20/2012

"He says the space isn't a public forum .." Isnt AMERICA a public forum?!?! Seriously, people wake up. gah...

[MrStat1]

12:45 PM on 01/20/2012

It is obvious you have zero understanding of the concept and underpinnings of law.

[MrStat1]

12:47 PM on 01/20/2012

It is equally obvious you have no understanding the Supreme Court many, many moons ago said speech can be restricted to time, place and manner.

[Roelvdwegen]

01:41 PM on 01/20/2012

Unless of course in the form of money.

[Katie Colling]

01:57 PM on 01/20/2012

Oh the Supreme Court said that? .... PACK IT UP PEOPLE! Lets go home.. nothing we can do here. Might as well give up!

[bigjakeIII]

09:34 AM on 01/20/2012

back to the soaps for ows

[HellBank]

09:34 AM on 01/20/2012

Strange, the Constitution does not say we can only protest in designated areas.

[walkerhds]

10:10 AM on 01/20/2012

had that same response when I read this. "is it a public space?"; "yes?"; "have fun, do what you gotta do" would be my logic.

[MrStat1]

12:47 PM on 01/20/2012

But the Supreme Court did many decades ago that speech can be restricted to time, place and manner.