PERMITS

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PERMITS

[From: Rosemary Gately, Saratoga Springs Coordinator]

In Saratoga Springs we need to obtain a "parade permit" not less than 30
days before an event--that would be around Nov. 2--which is coming all too
fast. Be sure to get permits for your city within the time-limit set.

[PRODOS: Thanks Rosemary. Good advice. If any coordinator has
any difficulty regarding permits please contact me immediately
so that we can sort things out. Thanks.]

Let walk!
http://www.walkforcapitalism.org/saratogasprings

[From Matthew Ferrara, Boston Coordinator]

Hello everyone:

As the newly elected coordinator for the Boston area, I need some
advice:
Does anyone know the "normal" procedure for securing a permit for a
walk/gathering in their cities? I'd like some advice before I burn up
time calling city halls, etc.

[Advice from Brussels: I phoned the city hall where they told me to send
them a letter with as much informations as possible on the walk i.e. walkpath,
expected number of participants, ... They would then send a copy of it to the
police.]

Do we need to arrange for police, too, to manage any crowds (especially
unruly anticapitalists) or traffic?

I'd like to hear how other have done it - or if it's in the archive
somewhere, just tell me and I'll go about searching the past
messages....

Thanks,

[From: Joe Wright]

In New York City, permits are issued by the Community Affairs
departments in various police precincts. They distinguish between
parades and walks. Parades that take place in the street absolultely
need permits. Walks along sidewalks, I am told, do not require a
permit. However, there were questions about how many people would be
walking. When I said no more than 100, I was told that no permit would
be required.

However, a permit is required for amplified speaking. In NYC it's
called a Sound Permit and you have to go to the precinct that covers
your planned walking area and fill out a form. Among other things, you
have to indicate how many people will be expected and over how large
an area the broadcast will be heard. Additionally, you have to be a
certain distance from schools, churches and other specific
organizations. If you pick a popular area to hold the speaking event,
it's strictly first come, first served. So, you have to apply as early
as possible.

You have to check in periodically with the person in charge of
granting the permit until you get it. Since it is difficult to get in
touch with these people by phone, you just have to keep trying until
you get the permit. I'm sure some if not all of the difficulty in
getting in touch with the right people here is a direct result of the
terrorist attack on the World Trade Center [Prodos: Joe Wright is
in New York City]

During a conversation with one of the Police Officers in Community
Relations, I was asked what the walk was all about and I explained up
front that we were not protesting anything, that we were walking in
support of capitalism and freedom. His immediate comment was, "That's
good. We're all in favor of capitalism here." Whether he meant that
literally or figuratively, he was all for us.

[Prodos: Hooray for NYC cops! How about including them in
the NYC Double Blue Ribbons? Thanks for Joe for this very
useful information.]

[From: Mary Bachmann, Seattle, joint Coordinator]

Here in Seattle, Tym Parsons was told that we would not need a permit at
all. He is going back to the city with a copy of our general proposed route
just to make sure, but anticipates no problem.

Every city could be different, but unless you plan to stop traffic, you
should not need a permit to walk on the sidewalk--at least, not in the US.
Just obey the law (wait for the crosswalk lights). Don't confuse our Walk
with a parade. Only ask for a parade permit if you are really intending to
hold a parade in the street.

We will be notifying the police anyway, of course.

Have any other PLANET coordinators had trouble obtaining a permit from their city? I have been told by the bureaucrats that to have any event on public property, we will have to purchase liability insurance (else I, the organizer, would be held liable for incidents happening on) which is between $300 and $500 - money that we don't have!!

Because of the short time frame, we DC organizers are therefore leaning towards having a short walk, and having an event afterwards at a nice bar/venue to celebrate capitalism, give our award, hear a speaker and have some bands play.

> Have any other PLANET coordinators had trouble obtaining a permit from > their city? I have been told by the bureaucrats that to have any event > on public property, we will have to purchase liability insurance (else > I, the organizer, would be held liable for incidents happening on) which > is between $300 and $500 - money that we don't have!!

Such fees can usually be waived at the discretion of the local authority. There is no need to accept such a requirement. It can be challenged. These sorts of insurance requirements are designed for a different cateogory of "event". Not for the sort of thing we're doing.

Political, Community, and non-profit events are often treated differently from any other events - whether or not this is in writing.

Reading the actual law or regulation supposedly requiring such a fee can often reveal a loophole or a clause which shows that your "event" (however they define such a term) is exempt or which can be used to argue for exemption.

I recommend making the official show you the actual written law in question. I also recommend challenging them and simply stating that you believe that your rally in fact requires such insurance. WalkForCapitalism is human rights demonstration.

Some regulations are either not enforced or not enforceable. And even those that a local authority might attempt to enforce can be challenged morally, constitutionally, and legally.

If all else fails you can write them a note informing them, as a courtesy, that your peaceful human rights demonstration is taking place and that over a 100 cities around the world are participating.

By the way, in Melbourne - the Socialist capital of Australia - permits are not required for political/ideological rallies. We're going through the motions of a permit as a courtesy to the local government and to ensure police are aware of our event.

> Because of the short time frame, we DC organizers are therefore leaning > towards having a short walk, and having an event afterwards at a nice > bar/venue to celebrate capitalism, give our award, hear a speaker and > have some bands play. >

Today I visited Stari Grad -Belgrade Police office competent for delivering Permit for Walk. We will have this permit. I was received kindly .I was questioned aboute the date, hour, how long it will be, number of participants, the aim of Walk, organization, etc.Police of Belgrade will provide us with some policemen to assure our Walk in the best conditions.

Hope at least 100 participants. Have to start media campaign.There is a real person for Award.He is Miroslav Kostic(1940) journalist of Radio Belgrade and writer, graduated of Faculty of cinema and theatre of Belgrade ,president of political party Union of Serbians.Kostic spent his life struggling for human rights and implementatioin of capitalism in our country and passed persecutions and discriminations.

I applied for a permit from the city of Coral Gables and got it without a problem.

I've been spreading "Walk For Capitalism" business cards everywhere, giving them to people to give out, putting them up on bulletin boards at the University of Miami, and giving them to the businesses along Miracle Mile, the main shopping street in Coral Gables. Everyone seems to love them. Thanks for the idea, Toronto!

I e-mailed the press release to all the radio and TV stations in South Florida and have received no response. But to some extent I've been expecting this, since our media don't report the news, but rather make it. And when they see anything in support of freedom or capitalism, they either tune out or seek and destroy. I'm wondering if it's worth my while to fax the press releases out instead. I've also been keeping certain reporters at the major TV stations up to speed with the walk plans. But if the media keep the attitude up, I'll just say it's their loss, not ours.

Tentative plans for the walk include: meeting at Coral Gables city hall, registering all the signs brought by participants for the sign contest, handing out the approved materials to participants, and then walking. What I hope to do is have everyone walking along Coral Way/Miracle Mile, distributing materials to any passersby they see. On Sundays there, there are restaurants, hair salons, bookstores, shoe stores, print shops, and supermarkets open; offices and bridal shops (Coral Gables is the wedding supply place in South Florida) are generally closed that day. So we'll catch the people coming in and out of the open stores. The walk will be from city hall four blocks to the Miami city limits and then back again, and then other loops as time permits.

After the walk, we meet back at city hall for the capitalism awards and sign contest awards and prizes.

After the awards, those who want to can go for a meal at one of the nice restaurants in the area, I was thinking Ruth's Chris steakhouse but I'm open to suggestions.

I've been keeping up with interested participants via an e-mail list that I'm continuously developing, sending out messages and downloading files to everyone at once. I find it works very well at keeping everyone up to speed and enthusiastic about participating, and it's convenient for me.

How many of you secured permits from your cities for your walk? We did not get any response from Boston City - I got some paperwork but it did not look like it applied to our type of "ad hoc" event.

Any comments or guidance on this would be helpful. I don't anticipate a problem - since we'll be walking on the public "Freedom Trail" but in my state, you never know...

Almost certainly, if you walk on the sidewalk and manage your own street crossings so as not to impede traffic, there will be no requirement to have an official permit. But be prepared to be questioned on it.

1. Permit to walk - we've decided to use only the sidewalks. This permit alerts the police traffic department and allows them to make sure there won't be more than one group trying to demonstrate at the same place and time. This permit required the "sponsorship" of an elected member of Council. Not an easy task, since Toronto was recently the site of an ANTI-poverty rally (really an anti-globalization rally), with lots of destruction and disruption.

2. Permit to use the rallying point - in our case, a public square, owned by the city, and managed by a special property manager. This includes a sound system and (if it weren't in disrepair) a stage.

3. Not a permit, really, but a relationship with the Police division in the walk area.

If you've already informed the city, and have confirmed by phone that they received your request, you've done what you can.

Good luck! I walked the Freedom Trail for the first time a few years ago. What a thrill! And what a thrill your walk will be.

In St. Louis, we're holding the Walk in a suburb, University City ... partly because it's an area I'm very familiar with, where my office is, etc., & partly because downtown St. Louis proper is disgracefully DEAD after 6pm on weekdays & all day Saturday & Sunday (except in the summer, when the Baseball Cardinals are playing).

The bustling 6-block "downtown" U. City "Loop" area, on the other hand, has tons of people & activities evenings, weekends, etc., including Sunday afternoons!

I called the U. City Police ... was referred up to the Chief ... told him what we were doing ... "a public rally on the sidewalks & giving awards to various businesses in the Loop" ... & he said it sounded great & just let him know if we needed their help with anything.

Keep it positive ... which is proper anyway ... & it should be no problem. If it becomes so big that it attracts "official attention" that would be a WONDERFUL "problem" to have!

It is indeed inspiring to read all the postings on this subject. Here in St. Louis, MO ... the heart of the "Bible Belt" of the US ... it's been a bit scary at times, & being ignored by the media is disheartening. But then I read about guys coordinating a WalkFORCapitalism in non-user-friendly places like Poland, Romania, Red China, & the People's Republic of Massachusetts :-) and I think what a coward I'd be to not stand up for what I believe here in St. Louis!

As a private practice dentist (and yet another 50+ old fart) I worry a little about what people will think ... a number of years ago, I lost some patients because of prominent waiting room displays against Medicare & the like. I worried about losing more now ... but I placed even more prominent displays announcing: "This office proudly supports WalkForCapitalism - the first Global Rally FOR Capitalism" with dispensors for our announcements & flyers.

If I've lost anybody, I don't know about it (nor do I care!) because I've seen a number of patients leaving with a flyer, or at least stopping to read them. If somebody wants to find a different dentist because I favor freedom & rationality, I'd rather they did go ... they don't deserve me!

(As soon as the Walk is over, I'll put flyers for the Anthem & Fountainhead Essay contests out instead.)

Standing up FOR Capitalism is something we should all be very proud of. Remember: some movements that are active in this world pride themselves on how much they can destroy, & how many people they can kill or maim. We stand for the diametrical opposite. Do we deserve to be proud?

And what about the cafe where Marx used to meet his intellectual friends and discuss ideas?

--- Sullivan <sullivan@tseinc.com> wrote: > [From: Dan Sullivan, St. Louis, USA] > Keep it positive ... which is proper anyway ... & it > should be no problem. > If it becomes so big that it attracts "official > attention" that would be a > WONDERFUL "problem" to have! > Absolutely! I expect the El Paso, Texas Walk to win the officially sanctioned Smallest Walk Award, which I shall gladly claim--inasmuch as we shall not qualify next year! ;-)