Philadelphia: No Crackdown On Democratic Convention Protests
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Philadelphia officials say they will respect the First Amendment rights of all protesters during the Democratic National Convention, but they are sticking with requirements that all demonstrators have permits.
"There is no intended 'crackdown' on un-permitted protesting," City Solicitor Sozi Pedro Tulante wrote in a letter to the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania. The letter, dated June 17, was in response to the ACLU's concerns about how the protests would be handled.
Tens of thousands of protesters are expected at the July 25-28 convention.
The ACLU had written to the city earlier in the month outlining a number of issues relating to the convention, including that the city wasn't letting marches travel down Broad Street.
The city will now allow marches on the thoroughfare, Philadelphia's major north-south artery that runs past City Hall to the sports complex about 7 miles away where the convention is to be held.
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