Montana thwarts upcoming 'No Kings' event by quietly outlawing weekend rallies at the Capitol grounds

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

https://apnews.com/article/montana-general-news-district-of-columbia-helena-28a9730977bea9e3e4f6ebfb18cb0415

Montana halts permitting on all weekend rallies at Capitol, thwarts upcoming ‘No Kings’ event

Organizers of the upcoming “No Kings” rally in Helena say that a new state rule banning permits for weekend rallies on the Capitol grounds violates their First Amendment rights. State officials countered that the new rule, quietly instituted just last month, was intended to save money.

The update to permitting guidelines on the Montana.gov site, which has not been previously reported, states that public events requiring a permit “may only occur on weekdays and between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., excluding holidays.”

The revisions apply to all state-owned or leased spaces or grounds at the Capitol Complex. The policy requires a permit for any public event that uses “state resources, requires setup of any structures, materials, displays, or requires clean-up.” A public event is defined as “any event that is open to the public and to which the public will have full access.”

The Capitol Complex has long been a preferred location for protests, government press conferences, ceremonies and other public gatherings, including “No Kings” rallies that have drawn thousands of protestors to Helena, most recently on a Saturday last October. The next nationwide “No Kings” rally is scheduled for Saturday, March 28.

[Easterncedar]

1. Just a little rule change...

And Democracy dies a bit more

[littlemissmartypants]

2. But it's not dead yet, Easterncedar. Stay encouraged. ❤️

[Easterncedar]

4. I will be going to our regular protest today

I am oddly depressed by FDR being removed from the dime. Too antifa, that guy, I guess.

[GPV]

3. **'s "Free Speech zones" are back.

[Biophilic]

5. Obviously Montana is broke.

Since saving money is more important than democracy. Montana is broke in more ways than one.

[Chasstev365]

6. Like Colbert and Talarico, by doing this more attention will be spotlighted and thus a bigger turnout at alt spot!

[Blues Heron]

7. Everything they do involves lying, cheating, and trampling our rights. Fuck those right wing zealots they are evil.

[QueerDuck]

8. Next money-saving rule: "Permits issues only on the first Monday of a month, events allowed every fifth Thursday."

[OldBaldy1701E]

9. My reply.

[Ol Janx Spirit]

12. Well, a Democrat hasn't won the presidential election there since 1992--and even then...

...it was only by 2.5 points.

President [REDACTED] won it by 20.4, 16.4, and 19.9 points.

Both senators are Republican.

They have two house districts--both Republican.

Their governor is Republican.

I'd say that makes it a pretty red state.... So, no, I don't think it has to do with protecting No Kings from outsiders.

https://usafacts.org/articles/how-red-or-blue-is-your-state/

[Delmette2.0]

17. Montana use to be Blue.

We had Mike Mansfield and Lee Metcalf. Jon Tester was terrific but Sheehy got big money from out of state.

The No Kings rally will still be held on the street in front of the Capitol.

I am tempted to get out my walker, put my portable oxygen in the basket and ask my son to take me. If it is cold like the first rally back the day after 45 was sworn in, I can't do it.

[oasis]

11. Okey dokey then.

[spike jones]

13. "When policemen break the law, then there isn't any law, just the fight for survival." - Billy Jack.

[intheflow]

14. 1A doesn't require a permit.

We’ve been playing by their bullshit “permit” rules because we’re polite people, but does Montana also want a general strike when people attend? Hopefully it will get struck down by a judge.

[markbark]

15. I know I'm just a latte sipping Lib but....

There's a building right across the river from my house wherein is a ancient bit of parchment in a nitrogen filled case.
It's a bit faded, but there's a section of that document that reads:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances"

I see no mention of permits or restricted times, do you?
March anyway and class action them into submission.

[uncle ray]

16. maybe planned protests on a convenient schedule are not the most effective anyway?

we really need to get over this aversion to jamming up the works. counter action needs to happen the day they perform the offensive acts. if they want protests only during bankers hours, then fine, lets tie up the capitol grounds every day all day during bankers hours. we're 2 weeks into an illegal war...nothing. and nothing there will be until the next scheduled event...in two more weeks. and after that, more nothing until the next scheduled event.

we could have this war shut down in the first week of a general strike. i completely understand that many of us, myself included, can't afford to go without a paycheck, but the cost of inaction is much greater.

sigh. i guess i have 2 weeks to come up with a witty sign.