NBC-17 has learned Mayor Charles Meeker wants the City Council to look at the way the rights of the Occupy Raleigh protestors are being handled following Thursday’s arrests on the sidewalk adjacent to the Capital building.
For the Occupy Raleigh protesters, Thursday’s arrests were confusing.
“They arrested a disabled woman for sitting in a chair on the public sidewalk, then today an officer tells us we can have chairs out here,” said protester Antonio Rahman. “Someone gets arrested for something and the next day they say that same activity is OK.”
Friday night, under drizzling skies, the protesters held a general assembly meeting and NBC-17 was first to report that protesters found out Mayor Meeker isn’t happy with the way they’re being treated.
“I was delighted to hear the mayor would like the city to respect our First Amendment rights,” said protester Bo Chagnon.
He’s referring to a memo the mayor sent to the city council saying he’s “concerned constitutional rights are not being given adequate weight” and he wants the city manager to look into the role Raleigh Police played in assisting with Thursday’s arrests.
"This is a step in the right direction and we should be grateful,’’ exclaimed protester Angela Schulte.
In addition, protesters were told the city is in discussions with Occupy Raleigh about allowing protestors to use Avery Upchurch Park as a base of operations.
“It’s certainly going to require approval of the city council and it may also require rewriting of some city code,” protester
Joe Huberman told the assembly.
The location is just two blocks from where the protesters are demonstrating and that pleases some.
“I hope that the city council decides to support our First Amendment rights,” said protester Roger Ehrlich.
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