On September 23, 2019, I contacted Police Chief Tommy Gardner inquiring about the need for a permit for a Residents Protest Rally. I stated that I was expecting way fewer than 250 residents. He told me to contact Planning & Zoning. I called P&Z and the City Clerk and was told to contact Ms. Kimberly Smith in Planning and Community Development. I did. Ms. Smith emailed me a twenty-one page application. After going through the Application, I called Ms. Smith and told her not any of the information pertained to a Residential Protest Rally. I also stated that the expected number would be less than 200. We set up a meeting for October 1, 2019 for me to come in and discuss what was needed. On the morning of the appointment, I called Ms. Smith and left a voicemail to reschedule. On October 2nd, when I did not hear from her, I called the City Manager’s Office and asked Ms. Bahrens to ring her. Ms. Bahrens stated that she had just seen her and that she would tell her that I called. I called again and we agreed to meet on October 4th.
On October 4th, I called Ms. Smith and we talked. I stated again that I would not need any street closings, no electrical outlets, no equipment of any kind, no vendors, no tents, and no chairs or tables. I stated that the City could provide an Administrative Permit like they did for the Wednesday Wind Down events. She then stated that all the spaces on the Application where that information was needed would be marked None Applied. I then told her that I would email her what I proposed and she could get back to me if anything else was needed. She said that would be fine. On October 4th , I sent the email to The City Manager, Police Chief Gardner, City Clerk McCullough, Kimberly Smith and Ms. Bahrens (I misspelled her name on the email.).
According to Sec. 5-3084. Special events classifications. “If the city determines not to adopt the estimate given by the applicant, the city shall state the reasons in writing on the permit.” Since no one contacted me from October 4th to October 12th, a full eight days, I concluded that no permit was needed. As noted, I did my due diligence.
So on Saturday, October 12th, my husband, another resident and I went up to City Hall around 10:45 am. I placed a box containing signs on the end of the long wall by the post leading up to the steps of City Hall. I had a small T.V. tray that I placed on the porch of City Hall with my pocket book and a bull horn on top. While sitting on the low wall, two police officers ( black female and white male) approached me and told me that I would need a permit if more than ten people were present. At no time were there ever ten residents on the City Hall property. While waiting for the other residents to come, the resident and I used signs to block the sunlight. We sat was on the raised wall across the plaza from each other and not on the City Hall steps.
When the first five residents came and got signs they went and start walking up and down the public sidewalk. There were no more than eleven residents at the Rally and only ten had signs. My husband and another residents took the signs and gave them out to the residents as they came onto the public sidewalk. CBS News interviewed Ms. Wilson and me on the public sidewalk with all the residents with signs. The only residents to go on any steps at City Hall were me and my husband, and we did not have any signs in our hands. One of the police officers took pictures of us on the public sidewalk. Two or three residents paraded around the water fountain. There was not a single incident with anyone on the public sidewalk.
When I got in my car to leave, I was approached by three police officers (same black female and white mate, and another black male) and was told that they had a citation for me. The citation stated: “Did assemble on City Hall steps without a valid permit holding signs stating “Repeal June 23 Ordinance”. After reading the citation, I refused to sign it until they added that the residents were on the sidewalk with the signs. They then added, “on sidewalk in front of City Hall (She stated on sidewalk)”. The police officers cannot produce a single picture of any residents on the steps of City Hall except me and my husband going up and coming down from setting up the TV tray with my pocket book and bull horn on top. The bull horn was used while the residents walked on the public sidewalk.
This ends NOW. For years, I have put up with certain Council Members and Residents sending East Point police officers to either give me a citation or stopping my Newsletters delivery on one trumped up charge or another. The latest incident occurred in 2018 concerning the delivery of my Newsletters. I filed a claim against the City and was paid. Today, October 12, 2019, it involved ten residents walking on the public sidewalk in front of City Hall facing East Point Street.
The Police Department appears to selectively choose which City Ordinances or State Laws to enforce when applicable. There were 37 police officers at the Wednesday Wind Down , yet:
- Not a single citation was written for any of the food truck vendors that did not have permits.
- Not a single citation was written to vendors selling alcohol shots.
- There was no identification checked for alcohol age requirements to purchase the alcohol shots.
Code Enforcement is not issuing citations for Airbnb’s:
- Houses on my street and other streets zoned Rl or R1.
- Trash container on the street from Thursday of one week to Thursday of the next week.
- Fifteen cars parked on the street for four days at the same time.
- Trash by the mailbox for five days.
No code enforcement citations or police citations for Mayor and Council Members using the Council Chamber as individuals without a quorum for a Council Meeting. It is ironic that I would receive a citation for residents walking on the public sidewalk carrying the same signs that seven residents carried into the October 7th Council Meeting. It is time for me to file harassment charges against East Point Police Department. East Point Police Department should stop colluding with certain Council members and residents to try and stop me from providing information to residents and exercising my constitutional rights of freedom to assembly and protest any governmental entity. East Point police officers should follow and apply all the laws equally to both residents and visitors to East Point. I have lost all faith in East Point Police Department to perform their duties and responsibilities in a professional and lawful manner. I will see them in court on November 11th at 9:00 am with pictures and residents to dispute their lying citation. East Point Police Department should stay out of City’s politics, and stop trying to emulate Donald Trump’s Deep State!!!!!
Residents will picket on the public sidewalk in front of City Hall prior to the October 21st Council Meeting, and we will take our signs inside the Council Chamber as is our right to do so.
CLICK HERE:Police Harassment 1 These are documents that support the lack of enforcement by East Point Police Department and Code Enforcement as well as the email I sent on October 4th.
