To: Maurice Winn who wrote (81154 ) 10/15/2011 1:56:54 PM From: Ilaine Read Replies (1) | Respond to >>The OWC should go and gather on the White House lawn to protest their hard-earned money [the few of them who earn money] being doshed out to Wall Street. Or on camp on the steps of Congress. There is a lot more campground space in downtown Washington too.When do you need a permit? Protests of 25 people or more on the National Mall require a permit, as does any event that requires streets to be closed. The Metropolitan Police, because they lost an important court case, are required to allow permit-less marches in the street as long as they stay within a single lane. Sidewalks are supposedly public property, but some activists have experienced severe police harassment for protesting outside of private businesses. What's the process? Police officials require very specific details about stages, speakers, tents, food, and potential for violence or counter-protests. They will help you to work out the details over a series of meetings, and permits rarely get denied in DC. However, it is best to start early since permits are allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis and DC is a popular place to protest. Who do you talk to? Our city has a lot of different law enforcement groups with different jurisdictions, and the permit process is different depending on where your protest is going to be held.For protests on or around the Capitol Buildings , you need to apply for a permit with the Capitol Police. They say to apply at least five days in advance of your activity to guarantee processing, but to allow up to 2 weeks if applying by snail mail. This page on the Capitol Police web site has a map of the Capitol grounds, plus guidelines for permitted activities and steps to get a permit and contact information for the Capitol Police Special Events Unit. For more information, you can also call (202) 224-8891.For protests in one of the many parks around the city, including the National Mall , you'll need to get in touch with the National Park Service. Events with a lot of equipment, sound amplification, food, or participants can require a month or more for the entire permitting process with the NPS, so start early! This page has contact information for the National Park Service Division of Park Programs, as well as instructions for applying. Please note that all applications, unless determined to be a First Amendment activity, must be accompanied by a $50.00 payment for initial processing. This office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M., holidays excepted. Call 202-245-4715 to obtain additional information.If you're planning a march and would like a police escort or streets closed, or if you're having a rally somewhere outside of a park , you should apply for a permit with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The application forms are all located at this page . Since the settlement of the court cases stemming from the illegal mass arrest of protesters at the 2002 IMF/World Bank meetings, the MPD is required to allow groups to protest in the street without a permit, as long as they stay in a single lane. They can get a little rough, though, so decide for yourselves what makes the most sense for your event. For parades, demonstrations, and other permits controlled by the Metropolitan Police Department, you can initiate this notification by completing the appropriate forms and mailing them to the MPDC's Special Operations Division. washingtonpeacecenter.net
