“The rule of law is essential to our constitutional system of government, and it applies equally to law enforcement officers and to other citizens,” Judge Perry wrote in her ruling. St. Louis County Police Chief John Belmar testified that the rule was only intended to be used when crowds failed to disperse or grew large and unruly, which he said mostly happened at night—but plaintiffs and witnesses said that on many occasions, officers approached small groups of people standing on sidewalks during the day and threatened to arrest them if they did not keep moving. “Vague rules that are applied in a haphazard fashion tend to increase community tension,” said Tony Rothert, ACLU-MO legal director. “Judge Perry’s injunction is a huge win for peaceful protesters and those who believe in the rule of law.”
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 05:16:20 +0000
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