This press release was issued by city @ 8 p.m.:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2015
Contact: Tamara Fountain, Chief Operations Officer
Judge rules in favor of City in Occupy Pensacola lawsuit
After more than three years of litigation in the Occupy Pensacola v. City of Pensacola case, a federal judge has decided the case in favor of the City.
The Honorable Roger Vinson, Senior United States District Judge for the Northern District of Florida, today granted the City’s motion for summary judgment, ruling that the City’s actions had not violated the constitutional rights of Occupy Pensacola protestors.
“I appreciate Judge Vinson’s ruling, and I’m relieved to bring this litigation to a close,†said Mayor Ashton Hayward. “While we have the utmost respect for our constitutional freedoms, the City has an obligation to safeguard public health and safety.â€
The litigation arose out of local protests, modeled after the “Occupy Wall Street†movement, which began in October 2011. In order to call attention to various political, economic, and social justice issues, the “Occupy Pensacola†group held marches and pitched tents in Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza, later relocating to the North Lawn of City Hall. As the protest swelled to more than 60 tents and approximately 200 people, serious health and safety issues began to emerge. After Occupy Pensacola participants refused to obtain the proper permits, City officials ordered demonstrators to remove their tents and to comply with park regulations.
While the plaintiffs may appeal to the United States Supreme Court, today’s ruling brings the case to a close in federal district court.
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