As I stated before, there might be a case that could be made that their 1st Amendment right did apply since they followed the local laws and applied for and were granted a permit. You might believe in the mob mentality of citizens have the right to shut down any speech they don't like, like the leftist Redneck Revolt people, however, just keep that in mind when, or if, anyone wants to shut down any democratic rallies in public.
It's ironic that the anti protesters were claiming to protest against Fascism while promoting Fascist tactics to shut down speech they don't like.
The problem with a lot of protests over the last few years is that the police do not arrest protesters who block city streets. Had the police did this there then one group might not have been blocked from going to the park where they had the permit to protest.
As far as I know you have not had to deal with these specific groups protesting in your city. I have. We have found that they end up with a lot less news coverage if they and protesters are kept separate. Both sides yell their opposition to each other and life goes on. While in college, our university campus had to endure Louis Farrakhan and his racists speech every 6 months or so. Amazingly enough there was no need for police lines or extra protection for him or anyone who disagreed with his "hate" speech.
Not one person, other than yourself, has ever claimed that anyone "demand[ed] that everyone sit quietly by and listen to it". I'm not sure where you get this from. I am saying that no one, private citizen or not, has a right to come armed to a protest they disagree with, engage in violence then demand that everyone back them and their actions up.
For years the left has encouraged this false belief that they have some made up right not to be offended and because of that false belief, they have the right to attack others and destroy other people's and public property with impunity. It is encouraging that police did arrest some of those involved in the destruction of that statue that I posted about in another post. |
