Athens City Council members might soon introduce a measure making it easier for protesters to obtain a parade permit, which they suggested might have prevented some of the issues that arose during a protest on Ohio University's campus earlier this month.
On Feb. 1, OU students protested President Donald Trump’s immigration ban with a demonstration on Court Street and in Baker University Center that ended in 70 arrests on criminal trespassing charges. Council members raised concerns that there was not enough police protection for the protesters to guide them through traffic and proposed a solution aimed at making protests safer.
“The way things are going at the national level, we will continue to see people protesting increasingly,” Councilwoman Chris Fahl, D-4th Ward, said. “It is important we find a way to let people protest these things in a safe way.”
Athens Police Chief Tom Pyle said it was important for protesters to apply for parade permits, allowing the police to make appropriate street closures or recruit enough officers to the scene.
Under Athens Municipal Code, parade permit requests have to be made three weeks in advance and require a $25 fee, but the new measure could reduce that time to seven days, or up to 24 hours beforehand at Pyle's discretion. The fee would also be waived.
“There is a level of planning involved to make sure enough officers are there to protect all of those involved,” Athens Mayor Steve Patterson said.
If a request is made less than seven days in advance, Pyle has the right to deny to it, which he said is very unlikely.
“In six years I have never denied a parade permit,” he said.
There is an appeal process if a permit is denied.
Some council members said they supported the OU students who protested the immigration ban.
“I just want to say I support those who took to the streets and demonstrated 100 percent, and I hope this council does too,” Councilman Pat McGee, I-At Large, said.
Fahl also drafted a resolution opposing the immigration ban, which, if passed, will be sent as a letter to all state representatives and the governor.
“I think this letter is an important first step in protecting our citizens and moving towards declaring Athens a sanctuary city, as many people in the community want to do,” Jennifer Cochran, D-At Large, said.
Council members are also considering alternatives to tenant-landlord agreements — documents the city drafted years ago in order to educate tenants on city occupancy, littering and nuisance policies, among others.
Legally, tenants are not required to sign it, and Fahl said about 80 percent of people don’t read or sign the agreement. Instead, the landlord usually signs it, files it and shreds it later in the year.
Councilman Kent Butler, D-1st Ward, suggested using electronic platforms as a means of disseminating this information.
Pyle and council members also might decriminalize biking or skateboarding on sidewalks, reducing the penalty from a misdemeanor to an administrative violation.
That would mean, in addition to Athens Police Department and Ohio University Police Department, parking enforcement officers could issue citations for sidewalk violations. A first time offense would cost $20.
