Peace organizations and the mayor of Albuquerque are working together to revise the city's free expression ordinance.
"Public demonstrations are a way of voicing an opinion and telling others how you feel about a particular issue," said Aimee Schaefer, president of the League of Democratic Action.
Schaefer, who's taken part in student-organized marches in Albuquerque, said in the past, demonstrators without a permit ran the risk of getting arrested.
Spontaneous demonstrators are no longer required to obtain a permit or insurance.
The proposal is an updated set of guidelines that will be applied to groups that choose to exercise free expression in the streets, Mayor Martin Chavez said.
"I'm really proud of the work we've been able to do with individuals with whom I don't necessarily agree politically," he said.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
The proposal recognizes city streets as a traditional place of protest and as a public forum for demonstrations along sidewalks and other public places, Chavez said.
The old ordinance was out of date, he said.
The Albuquerque Free Expression Ordinance for Peaceful Protesting was introduced by Chavez at the UNM Peace Fair on Tuesday.
The ordinance also recognizes the difference between organized forms of expression such as the New Mexico State Fair parade and reactionary forms of expression like rallies and protests, he said.
"This may be an historical first for Albuquerque," Chavez said. "Demonstrators themselves took an active part in helping to create these guidelines." Chavez said he worked with groups and individuals, including former UNM professor Bob Anderson of the Committee to Stop the War Machine.
Two of the organizations involved in the ordinance's development process were the National Lawyers Guild and the American Civil Liberties Union.
"It was an interactive process," said George Bach of the New Mexico branch of the ACLU. "The mayor listened as groups like ours voiced their concerns."
Bach said he was pleased with Chavez's responsiveness to the important issue of free expression. The revamped ordinance makes the clarifications necessary for peaceful protest that the original lacked, he said.
Schaefer said she thinks there will likely be fewer clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement officials as a result of the ordinance.
The line between organized and extemporaneous types of gatherings is clearly drawn, Chavez said.
"I think it will definitely help with matters of clarification," Bach said. "The ordinance should make it easier for both demonstrators and law enforcement officials to remain within the confines of the law without risking the violation of a person's First Amendment rights."
The mayor said even with the city's ordinance updates, some things never change.
"As an American, I continue to expect nonviolence and civility from all dissenters," he said.
