Hundreds Rally for Free Speech

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
Over 300 turned out Monday to raise their voices for free speech. After rallying on Freedom Plaza the activists flooded the halls of DC City Council to express their strong opposition to a bill that would severely restrict public speech in DC and limit the right to speak and be heard. Councilmembers Kwame Brown and Yvette Alexander, who provided key votes in favor of the bill last month, spoke at the rally to express their support for an amendment by Councilmember Jack Evans that protects free speech rights. The Council's review process provided Councilmember Alexander with "a chance to reflect and review just what we were doing with this bill.”  “Our legislative process has steps and time for exactly this reason. We do not need to rewrite our city-wide noise code," said Alexander, noting that her constituents’ concerns about excessive noise are protected by the District's "extensive and very specific noise regulations." Added Brown, "Sometimes information appears in the midst of debate that is so provocative that it completely changes your perspective. It puts things in a different light or makes clearer aspects of a debate." Brown cited a recent study by the Partnership for Civil Justice that found just 3 of over 1,000 noise complaints related to protests. "Clearly protests are not the problem," said Brown. "Councilmember Evans had it right.  Let the noise regulations handle noise. I will be supporting the Evans Amendment because it protects neighborhood quiet and it protects free speech." The lobbying and rally capped a short but intense campaign spearheaded by labor and community groups to protect free speech rights in the nation's capital.
- reported by Alya Mbamba