Update Thursday, January 29th, 10:00 a.m.:
Detroit 300 responded to our requests for comment with this statement:
The Detroit 300 Conservancy only received word of the ACLU filing the lawsuit this morning (Wednesday). The Conservancy had no prior knowledge of concerns expressed regarding the events of 2013 and 2014 that are cited in the lawsuit. The Conservancy takes the diverse and inclusive stewardship of Detroit’s public spaces very seriously and has a long history of working with our public and civic community partners. We will proactively review the claims in the suit.
Original post, Wednesday, January 28th, 4:02 p.m.:
Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan filed a lawsuitagainst a Detroit police officer, and two groups that manage security on Campus Martius Park.
The public park is owned by the city of Detroit. The ACLU contends that members of Guardsmark security, hired by the non-profit group Detroit 300, prevented people from protesting and handing out leaflets on the park’s grounds. They contend that a Detroit police sergeant backed the decision to prohibit the protesters' actions. Detroit 300 runs the city-owned park.
The ACLU released a videoand a press release about the lawsuit.
More from the ACLU:
In 2014 … Moratorium Now supporters began soliciting signatures and distributing fliers near the southern end of Campus Martius by the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, they were approached by a Guardsmark security officer who ordered them to leave the park or risk arrest. He told them that petitioning and leafleting were not allowed in the park. In 2013, members of Women in Black-Detroit, were confronted by Campus Martius security as they tried to march single file without speaking through the park as part of a protest against war, domestic abuse and other forms of violence. The guard forbade them from walking through the park. Though he later relented and allowed them to walk through the public park on their march back, the guard continued to prohibit them from passing out political leaflets and from sharing their message with others at the park.
In a statement, ACLU of Michigan staff attorney Brooke Tucker said:
“Campus Martius belongs to the City of Detroit and its people. Regardless of who manages our public assets, no private organization’s rules will ever trump the freedoms enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. And with a growing number of city assets being overseen through public-private partnerships, citizens cannot allow public spaces to be converted into Constitution-free zones.”
Michigan Radio has contacted the Detroit Police Department, which declined to comment. Detroit 300 says it's reviewing the lawsuit. A message left with the city of Detroit has not yet been returned.
