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Protestor in Tampa Bay speak during a protest in front of the Florida Historic Capitol

Florida city bans ‘political’ events of 10-plus people on public property

Cases

Case Overview

FIRE Victory closed

An ordinance enacted by the City of Belleair Beach, Florida, requires any group of 10 or more people who want to gather on public property including parks, streets, and sidewalks to obtain a permit from the city. The ordinance also prohibits permits for “political” and “organized” events on public property. FIREwrote the city on March 27, 2023, explaining that these restrictions violate the First Amendment. On April 5, the Belleair Beach city attorney told FIREthe city has initiated a process to amend the ordinance to eliminate its unconstitutional defects.

Over the course of several months, FIREworked with city officials to revise the ordinance. On November 6, the city approved an amended ordinance governing the use of city parks and other public forums that resolves the constitutional concerns raised by ֭. 

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