The ACLU of Ohio has given the city a 24-hour deadline to respond to concerns surrounding the parade route and regulations for demonstrators during the RNC.
Several protest groups and the ACLU of Ohio have raised objections with the route, which covers the length of the Lorain Carnegie bridge, ending on E. 9th. Groups are given an hour to march and no other march routes will be permitted.
Permit applicant John Penley told newsnet5.com the city is in discussions with ACLU lawyers to potentially lengthen the amount of time to cross the bridge for certain groups.
The majority of recent applicants have not selected a march time, opting for speaker times or park use instead.
Lavitta Murray, organizer for Million Women March Cleveland, says that’s because the regulations make it an unattractive option.
“It’s not even worth having a protester come out,” Murray said, arguing that her group will be neither seen nor heard by they delegates that they are hoping to reach.
“We plan to march where they don’t want us to march,” Murray said.
Penley said several groups are considering marching on their own routes without permits from the city.
“Unless the city compromises they’re just going to end up with a bunch of illegal marches and then they’re going to have to deal with that,” he told newsnet5.com.
Groups have until July 8 to file for permits with the city.
