We have been told we must apply at least 24 hours in advance, but not too much in advance, for permits to use the Courthouse Square for Occupy Morgantown. However, we can’t put up shelters, like tents. This reduces people to sleeping under tarps which don’t help much in the rain and subject us to unnecessary health risks.
Occupy Morgantown is attending the 10/19/2011 County Commission meeting at 10AM to seek a variance allowing tents or other weather protection for use outside the hours of courthouse operation and/or during inclement weather. We will argue that we deserve such a variance in order to exercise our rights to assembly and free speech, that overnight occupation is part of our message and therefore is speech, and that suppression of those rights through arbitrary and capricious rules is unconstitutional.
If you support us in this matter, please sign the petition below and thank you.
