Thread: N.J.: Free speech lawsuit filed over immigrant rights rally

Free speech lawsuit filed over immigrant rights rally

The Associated Press
Monday, July 9, 2007
TRENTON, New Jersey: A New Jersey city abused the free speech rights of a farmworkers group by charging it $1,500 (€1,101) for holding an immigrant rights rally, a lawsuit filed Monday in federal court says.

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey and the Farmworkers Support Committee contend Bridgeton unjustly charged the farmworkers for the May 1 march.

"This fee amounts to a user's tax on free speech, and that is unconstitutional," said ACLU-NJ attorney Frank Corrado, who is also representing the farmworkers committee.

The lawsuit says city officials used "unfettered, arbitrary discretion" in billing the group for police expenses because the city lacks an ordinance authorizing it to impose fees for marches and parades. The group was not charged for last year's march.

"I think this is a way of letting us know that we're not welcome, that they don't want us here in this city," said Mariza Ibarra, a committee board member who moved to the United States from Mexico three years ago.

Neither Bridgeton's city attorney, Theodore Baker, nor its mayor, James Begley, could immediately be reached for comment.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/ ... awsuit.php

I think this is a way of letting us know that we're not welcome, that they don't want us here in this city," said Mariza Ibarra, a committee board member who moved to the United States from Mexico three years ago.

I agree with the city

"I think this is a way of letting us know that we're not welcome, that they don't want us here in this city," said Mariza Ibarra, a committee board member who moved to the United States from Mexico three years ago.

DUH!!!!!