Federal Court Finds GOP Governor Violated Civil Rights Of Protesters by Niki2

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Federal Court Finds GOP Governor Violated Civil Rights Of Protesters

POSTED BY: NIKI2
UPDATED: Wednesday, December 18, 2013 21:12
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Wednesday, December 18, 2013 9:12 PM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

On December 16, 2013, a Federal Appeals Court judge ruled that South Carolina Governor Niki Haley violated the civil rights of protesters. The protesters, who gathered at the state’s capital building in 2011, were a spring off of the Occupy Wall Street movement. 19 protesters, who were a part of the group Occupy Columbia, were arrested without cause. The arrests occurred under the direction of the SC governor.

Quote:
In its ruling Monday, the appellate court said Haley's actions did in fact violate the protesters' civil rights because no regulation in place at the time of their actual arrests banned people from living on Statehouse grounds.

"It is not disputed that South Carolina and its state officials could have restricted the time when the State House grounds are open to the public with a valid time, place, and manner restriction," the court wrote. "However, as explained above, at the time of Occupy Columbia's arrest, no such restrictions existed." http://www.goupstate.com/article/20131216/WIRE/131219775?p=2&tc=pg

Haley ordered the arrest of protesters who were camping on the grounds. The arrests were made even though there was no law in SC that made it illegal for the group to set up camp. They presented no danger and broke no laws.

The protesters, whose hands were zip tied, were taken to a detention center after the arrests. Charges against them were dropped shortly after.

Although the ruling does not give restitution to the protesters at this time, it upholds their right to sue Gov. Haley and state officials involved in the arrests. In his ruling, the judge wrote that the protester’s civil rights were infringed upon by Gov. Haley, with the help of state officials, who were acting upon her orders. The ruling is further proof that while republicans often say they care about the Constitution, when civil rights get in the way of their agenda, they have no second thoughts about trampling them. The right to free speech and the right to assemble are protected by the US Constitution. Those like Haley, who claim to care about constitutional rights, also have a habit of denying them, when it better serves their purpose.

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