Why do protesters need permit

Washington St 12th Floor, AZ However, policies vary by city, so be sure to check your local regulations in advance. Generally, you have the right to distribute literature, hold signs, and collect petition signatures while on sidewalks or in front of government buildings as long as you are not disrupting other people or government proceedings, forcing passersby to accept leaflets or causing traffic problems.

You have the right to set up tables on public sidewalks and solicit donations, as long as the walkway is not blocked. Check for municipal restrictions on setup times or booth locations. Drumming, dancing, singing, and chanting are all protected First Amendment activities. Street performers, mimes, or puppeteers also have the right to express themselves in public, subject to reasonable conditions.

In order to put on an event involving a large group of people and the use of public facilities or amplified sound, you will need a permit. Make sure to ask about noise ordinances and a noise ordinance waiver if necessary. Can a student be suspended for walking out of school to attend a political protest? Generally no. While suspension or expulsion may be imposed for excessive unexcused absences, they are not appropriate punishments for occasional absences.

Truancy is the unexcused absence from school, including any unauthorized absence from class, study hall, or mandatory activity during the school day. To download this information, click here. Information on IRP is available at www. Rights of Protesters. Facebook Twitter Reddit Email Print. Privacy statement. This embed will serve content from youtube. Click here for Arizona State Capitol Grounds regulations on assembly and protesting. Contact the Arizona Legislative Council office for application and more information.

California permits speech activities, such as handout leaflets, in facilities operated by state and local governments and open to the public as long as they do not significantly disrupt the normal operations of the facility. These speech protections do not apply to federal government facilities, such as the interiors of federal office buildings or courthouses, where significant restrictions on activities such as chanting, handing out leaflets, etc.

In addition, free-speech activity generally cannot take place on private property absent the consent of the property owner, except where the property is open to the public in the same way as a public street or park, like a shopping mall, but not a strip mall, or in front of big box stores. Shopping malls must allow speech activity subject to reasonable time, place and manner rules— ask your local mall for their rules.

Not usually; however, government may require permits for certain types of events. Generally, these events are: 1 a march or a parade that does not stay on the sidewalk, and other events that require street closures; 2 a very large rally; and 3 activity which obstructs vehicle or pedestrian traffic.

Many permit procedures require that applications be filed with the police department or the city or county well in advance of the event. However, the government must allow you to obtain a permit on short notice if the event is organized in response to unforeseeable and recent occurrences.

In general, if groups of individuals stay on the sidewalk and obey traffic and pedestrian signals, their activity is protected. They may be required to allow enough space on the sidewalk for normal pedestrian traffic and may not obstruct or detain passers-by.

It is always advisable to check with the city or the police to find out about permitting requirements—contact your local ACLU affiliate if the requirements seem unreasonable. Pedestrians on sidewalks may be approached with leaflets, newspapers, petitions and solicitations for donations. Tables may also be set up on sidewalks for these purposes as long as demonstrators do not block entrances to buildings and passers-by are not physically detained.

Here are some valuable tips on what to do if you are confronted by a police officer or another public official during a protest. Bookmark this page! You can also download a wallet size card for printing. If you have an encounter with the police, you can protect yourself and your rights. If you believe that your rights have been violated, please contact an attorney.

Go back to list Keep in Mind. Go back to list Limitations on Speech. Go back to list Limitations on Action. Go back to list If You Are Arrested. Get contact information for witnesses. Protesters: Know Your Rights!

Facebook Twitter Reddit Email Print. If anticipating a group large enough to block pedestrian or car traffic, contact your municipal government for more information. You can protest without a permit in response to recent events. Check local laws for restrictions. You have the right to distribute literature, chant, and engage passersby in debate in public spaces without a permit.