ACLU pleased by repeal
By Hannah Hager
The American Civil Liberties Union called the Berryville Town Council's repeal of their previous assemblies, demonstrations and parades law a movement from night to day in terms of the First Amendment.
"Berryville town officials are to be lauded for moving swiftly and decisively to rid themselves of their blatantly unconstitutional demonstration ordinance," ACLU of Virginia Executive Director Kent Willis said in a press release.
In his twenty years with the union, Willis said he had never seen such a strict ordinance.
"The Virginia Organizing Project works hard to empower Virginians who are excluded and disrespected," said chairperson of the Virginia Organizing Project, Janice "Jay" Johnson in a press release.
The ACLU and VOP are both pleased with the changes.
However, they will execute a very thorough analysis of the ordinance to juxtapose the case to see if the law has the right to say what can and cannot be regulated.
While Willis is concerned that the new ordnance still gives town officials to much discretion to turn down permits for parades and assemblies, he is pleased with its revised wording.
"Its not saying people can't gather," he said. "It's just saying that they can't be impeding flow."
Before, a group of three people could be fined up to $300 for gathering on a sidewalk.
This is no longer the case; a fee is not mentioned in the new ordinance and a gathering of ten or more people must get a permit only if they plan to redirect public access routes.
"Public officials make mistakes all the time," Willis said.
Willis added that he is pleased with town officials and didn't think they meant for the ordinance to be so strict.
The previous ordinance was instated as a reaction to a KKK recruitment in 1991.
"It was clearly passed as an emotional reaction to the KKK debacle," he said.
He added that while everyone should be unnerved by the organization, the elected officials should still pass ordinances according to the law.