Denver Police: Airport Protesters Violated Rules
Jesse Tabit January 31, 2017
Protesters at Denver International Airport (DEN) apparently needed permits to get their political message heard, according to Denver’s Police Department. Police Commander Tony Lopez reportedly made it clear that protesters should “put all the signs away that have anything to do with First Amendment expression, political message.”
“Based on legal advice we are getting at this time, from the city attorney, what’s being displayed, is a violation of airport rules and regulations.”
In addition to Lopez’s comments, DEN spokesman Heath Montgomery stated that the safety of the travelers who use the airport is paramount and they must “be able to go about their business uninterrupted and that’s going to remain our focus.”
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As much as I dislike the protestors blocking the way (who are really inefficient at protesting anyway), I have to point out that those "rules" do not trump the constitutional right to assemble/protest. If that airport is owned by any sort of government entity, whether it's the feds, state, or local, it is not "private property," and they are bound by the constitution.
That was probably the case at all airports across the U.S (should not have been allowed)......but obviously we have become a nation of non-enforcement of laws, non-punishment for lawbreakers. Why should this be any exception? Anything goes. People should not be allowed to disrupt airports, movement within airports, blocking roadways, access and egress into terminals, etc. One photo showed a bunch of lawyers sitting on the floor with their laptops, phones, power plugs, posters, paperwork, etc.all spread about, defacto offices as it were, in front of an emergency exit inside a terminal. Lawyers breaking the law. Something really wrong with that picture.