I went to the Bud Billiken Parade here in Chicago last week. This parade is a HUGE deal here. 76 years--every year! Here's a link for some history.

http://budbillikenparade.com/index2.htm

Anyway, I got some good shots of Tyler Perry, Lloyd, Ben E. Al Sharpton almost knocked me down. But what I want to know are your opinions on this. You didn't see this on the news. Some folks were waiting in line to join the parade. I was situated right where the marching bands, etc. met up with the floats.

Here's a pic of the banner they were holding.



It said, (because my camera view was blocked)...GET IN THE STREETS FIGHT POLICE TERROR INDICT CONVICT THE KILLERS


Well, the CPD didn't like this one bit. They went over and started yelling. Then the lady with the big silver earrings started yelling back. Finally they were made to take down the banner, and were not allowed to even march.




I'm not sure if this belongs in this forum, but wth... Should they have been allowed to march? This IS America, right? And many Chicago police are being indicted for brutality and even murder. Could they have been arrested if they went ahead?

Need alot more info to make any informed judgment.

wait, both banners were made to be taken down or just the one about the police?

Need more information but just like the Boston St. Patrick's Day parade can determine who marches in their parade, this may be similar. If someone has a permit and has to post a bond, they will probably be allowed who marches because any repercussions would rest with the permit holder and the individuals.

SUPRMAN said:

yeah, i'm probably about to say the same thing only in less informed sounding language:

if that group didn't arrange beforehand with the event organizers to march in that parade, then they didn't have the right to march in it. or, if they did get permission but were deceptive about the purpose of their organization, they could look forward to getting yanked off the parade path.

it's not a matter of free speech - it's just a matter of following proper procedure and following the proper channels when you want to be part of something that someone else is organizing for the public.

i mean, at every gay pride parade you always see the extremist christians with their "god hates fags" signs, but they're never actually marching in the parade. they know they won't have permission to march in it, but they seemingly are permitted to stage their little counter-demonstrations within eyeshot of the parade route.

using that example, i guess what i'm saying is there are ways that some people can get around not being permitted to officially participate in an event like a parade. you can't just bum-rush a parade and expect to not get escorted away, though. i don't consider that an issue of free speech. i just consider that crowd control.

^ Well put.