BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- On June 2, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin announced an amended order to the city's curfew that will ban "any demonstration, parade, march, or vigil on any of the public ways or upon any public property, including the public parks of this city." The full order can be found below.
Randall Marshall, executive director, said:
"Banning all demonstrations, marches, vigils, or parades is government overreach, plain and simple. It is unconstitutional to retaliate against protesters by banning future protests because of past protest activity. Assuming that because some property destruction occurred over the weekend and in other cities does not mean that government officials can assume future protests will be the same and ban them. Birmingham has a long and important history of protest, not all of which was nonviolent, but that was an integral part in paving the way for civil rights advancements for Black people in Alabama and across the country. It is unfortunate that Mayor Woodfin has chosen to utilize the police force now to protect property instead of supporting the call for accountability and justice for violence committed by the police. We strongly urge Mayor Woodfin to reconsider this ill-advised order and respect the constitutional right of his constituents to protest."
