The idea of a protest is to bother the people or organization you're protesting about while improving public awareness of your cause. It doesn't help your cause if you bother the people who might be willing to agree with your point of view.

So if you want to protest the government, and the government doesn't like it they don't issue you a permit... and you get arrested. Isn't that a conflict of interest?

Whiiiiich is my point. Freedom should not be dependent on convenience.

Our protesters are trying to get the attention of the media. They know the subjects of the protest have made up their minds. The protest is to sway as much public opinion as they can, through the media.
Yes, pissing off the people you're courting isn't smart.;)

Most protests are in some way to do with the government and wanting to change something the government controls. When you go to request the permit, they are not allowed to decline your permit provided you tick the right boxes. That is, you wont be causing a public nuisance and that your protest is going to be non violent.

So to answer your question Jeb, it is very rare for people to be declined permission to protest.

The whole idea still makes me uneasy. As we've found here it's not that difficult for the government to encroach on many things. LOL @ the idea of somebody openly stating they intend their protest to be violent however.

Government cannot just deny a permit without reason. Else other government functions can override.

Of course there is this other problem. A function over exercised in America this past six years. "We take care of our friends first - screw America". And since the courts to often rule in favor or America "We must restrict reactionary judges". And so in America, these reactionary enemies of Americans suspended writ of Habeas Corpus - to intentionally limit judicial powers and to increase (vice) presidential powers.

Yes well that's what I mean. Most protests start out as non violent and peaceful, but then people get carried away, and that's when the cops step in as they should.

The idea that it's laughable to tick the 'violent protest' box only further demonstrates that although there are restrictions on protests, they are mostly benign as long as everyone remembers to be grown up about it.

Protests, by their very nature, are confronting someone over their action, or support, of something you find unacceptable. Usually to get to the point where they're willing to take it to the streets, they're pretty vehement about their cause. As always, the way to piss them off is to ignore them.

When protesters are herded/limited to a "safe" location, where there's nobody to protest to/at, they get frustrated...and violent. If there was somebody to yell at, someone to argue with or harangue, they might be able to vent without becoming violent. :2cents:

I'm pretty sure I saw a banner at the Gay Pride Parade last year that said "I like dick"...

Ep, you must have that banner confused with the shirt your ol' lady was wearing last night. :)

No...hers says "dicks". :D

"I love cunts!"--Juju

I do too. :D