First Amendment Is Your Permit To Protest-Know Your Rights And Be Ready To Use Them

​There was an effort locally to hold a Houston Woman's March the weekend before Trump's inauguration. I don't know the folks who were looking to organize the event, but thank you to them for the effort. 

Last night the organizers posted on Facebook that the march was canceled because they could not get a permit from Houston police and the city. This distressed me because it furthers the myth that you need a permit to protest.  (And because the city and HPD are not good faith actors in protecting our right to protest.)

(Above is a picture I took from the 2017 Houston Woman's March.)

The First Amendment is your permit to protest. Also, police are not here to protect protestors.

​You need a permit to march on the street and for electronic sound amplification. You need a permit for use of certain facilities in some city parks. You can use sound amplification or march on the street without a permit. But doing so puts you at risk of a citation or arrest. You have to decide what risks you want to take.

Even the State of Texas says you have the right to assemble and protest.

From the Texas Constitution: 

Sec. 27. RIGHT OF ASSEMBLY; PETITION FOR REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES. The citizens shall have the right, in a peaceable manner, to assemble together for their common good; and apply to those invested with the powers of government for redress of grievances or other purposes, by petition, address or remonstrance.

Here is some broader information on your rights as a protester from the ACLU of Texas. 

Today at Defense Secretary-designate Hegseth's confirmation hearing, Hegseth refused to answer questions from Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan about if he would follow unlawful orders from Trump. It is clear that our civil liberties at risk. 

We have a right to protest. The Constitution gives us the right to protest. Do not trust police or any political figure to protect your freedom in a crisis. Know your rights & be ready to use them. 

I'm on the Egberto Willies Politics Done Right Show every Thursday from 6 AM to 7 AM for the Houston Democracy Project segment. You can hear the show on the radio, stream it on KPFT or watch later Egberto's YouTube channel.​​

Here is a fundraising pitch for Houston Democracy Project. I'm doing the work and showing up in many different ways.  Please help the effort.

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