Judge Rules on G-20 Camping, Rallies

From the folks at the P-G (with a special h/t to the Blackberry-dextrous Bob Mayo for giving us the blow by blow on this story):

U.S. District Judge Gary L. Lancaster ruled today on a suit against the city regarding G-20 protest activities, saying that the city was within its rights in barring camping and a bridge rally.

The judge said the the group CodePink will be allowed to hold an event at Point State Park from 7 p.m. Sunday to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The plaintiffs, represented by attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Constitutional Rights, tried to convince Judge Lancaster that the city showed favoritism to state Sen. Jim Ferlo and his request to hold a Free Speech Festival at Point State Park. They also sought to have the judge order the city to allow the Thomas Merton Center to march through Downtown and stop on the 7th Street Bridge and rally on Sept. 25, and to allow various groups to camp out overnight in Schenley Park during the week of the G-20 Summit.

Judge Lancaster also ruled on several other matters:

*The Pittsburgh Organizing Group will not be allowed to march in the David L. Lawrence Convention Center;

*The Allegheny Conference on Community Development is prohibited from using G-20 footage during its annual conference;

*The Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition is required to be more upbeat about starvation and genocide in Sudan;

* The City of Pittsburgh is within its rights to ban PVC piping and other items intended to obstruct a public right-of-way, but it is not within its right to require protesters wear their underwear on the outside of their clothing;

* Protesters are not permitted to camp out in Kennywood park;

* The Beastie Boys may reserve their right to party;

* The Thomas Merton Center is mandated to get its shit together, already.

No word on whether any of these rulings will be appealed.