Projo Politics Blog

PROVIDENCE -- You've got an issue. And you want to sound a clarion call for it outside the State House as lawmakers hand over a difficult state budget to the governor's pen.

But about the sound system involved: Don't use a bullhorn for that clarion call -- unless you've got a permit first.

An organization called People to End Homelessness, ahead of a demonstration this afternoon at the State House, put out a news release saying one of its members, Catherine Rhodes, was arrested yesterday afternoon outside the State House and taken to the state police Lincoln barracks.

"I think they did not like what I had to say so they wanted to silence me," Rhodes said in the statement, which immediately transitioned to criticize the budget the General Assembly has approved as "balanced on the backs of those less fortunate in our state."

But Capitol Police Chief William Habershaw said no, it was simply a matter of Providence ordinance: bullhorns fall under devices for which people must obtain a city permit.

Habershaw said the police report stated an officer asked Rhodes, who was using the bullhorn, if she had a permit. She replied she did not need one and continued yelling through the bullhorn, according to the report.

The officer told her again to cease but she again used the bullhorn, according to the police. The officer told her conduct was disorderly and asked her two more times to stop, police said.

She told the officer she was going to move away a bit and continue to use the bullhorn. The police said she was given another chance to leave.

"We don't want to arrest anybody," Habershaw said, but "you've got to have a permit to use an electronic device."

This afternoon, a male protester with a bullhorn was seen under arrest outside the State House.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau

Comments

Your papers, please said:

Funny this should be in the same blog as the vote on the electronic surveillance bill.

This is Freedom of Speech? You can speak, but only as long as you tell us who you are, where you live? And of course failure to obtain a permit in advance yields a double bonus, fingerprints.

As for electronic devices, I think that the police's time would be much better spent trolling the neighborhoods collaring vehicles with blasting speakers. Although come to think of it, they have been far and few this spring. Do you think that might be a side effect of not only the spike in gas prices, but also the recent illegal immigration hoopla?

Link | June 21, 2008 9:40 AM
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Dj GoodB.O.I. said:

I believe if you're going to issue a permit for such an easy to acquire and obtain device, it should be noted on the product. I own a bullhorn as well and I believe it's ridiculous to have to own a permit for a bullhorn. I promote parties with my bullhorn and for me to be heard outside of a venue with hundreds of people exiting, it's impossible to gain the attention of individuals without "volume".

Link | May 23, 2009 10:12 PM
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