Attorney John Branson at Press Conference on Courthouse Steps
Claiming that the city’s recent denial of a permit for OccupyMaine to continue its occupancy of Lincoln Park and therefore violating its First Amendment rights, John Branson, pro bono attorney for the group, filed a lawsuit against the city early this morning in Superior Court for Cumberland County.
The group also petitioned the court to permit the occupiers to remain at Lincoln Park until the litigation is decided. The city of Portland has agreed to that already.
The ACLU of Maine filed an amicus brief yesterday according to Zackery Heiden. “The restrictions that the city has put forth we hope the court will review them very carefully so that the Occupy group and their right to free expression are not needlessly harmed.”