| Occupy Nashville | |||||||||||||
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| Part of the "Occupy" protests | |||||||||||||
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Occupy Nashville is an ongoing demonstration and occupation located at Legislative Plaza in Nashville, Tennessee.
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On October 27th Governor Bill Haslam signed an executive order enacting a curfew at the state capitol. In the early morning hours of October 28, 29 protesters were arrested when they refused to comply with the order,[1] and on the following day, 26 were arrested.[2] In both cases, the arrests were thrown out by General Sessions Night Court Commissioner Tom Nelson, who argued the state had no authority to set a curfew for Legislative Plaza.[3] Haslam stated the curfew was necessary due to deteriorating sanitary conditions and safety issues on the Plaza,[4][2] though critics have stated that the curfew is a violation of the protesters' civil rights.[5]
On October 29, 2011 a reporter covering Occupy Nashville for the Nashville Scene was arrested with demonstrators for violating the executive-ordered curfew despite identifying himself as a member of the press.[6][7]
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in federal court on October 31 to halt the arrests.[5] On November 17, U.S. District Court Judge Aleta Trauger signed an injunction barring the state from enforcing the curfew on Legislative Plaza until the court could decide whether the curfew violates protesters' constitutional rights or not. A decision is not expected until February.[8]
A survey last month showed the first two months of the nationwide Occupy protests cost local taxpayers at least $13 million in police overtime and other municipal services. The heaviest financial burden has fallen upon law enforcement agencies tasked with monitoring marches and evicting protesters from outdoor camps
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Occupy articles
Other U.S. protests |
Related articles |
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