wfn.org | 'Wahoo' protestors due in court April 11

[powellb@ucc.org]

April 10, 2000
Office of Communication
United Church of Christ
Hans Holznagel, press contact
(216) 736-3863
<holznagh@ucc.org>
On the Web: <http://www.ucc.org>

A D V I S O R Y :
'Wahoo' protestors due in federal court Tuesday
to argue for free speech at April 14 home opener

EDITORS:  A federal Judge in Cleveland will hear arguments
at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, on whether the plazas and
walkways surrounding Jacobs Field and Gund Arena are a
"public forum" for First Amendment free-speech purposes.

Plaintiffs who object to the name and logo of Cleveland's
Major League Baseball team are seeking an injunction to
prevent Gateway Economic Development Corp., owner of the
sports complex, from restricting a demonstration on Friday,
April 14, before the team's 2000 home opener.

Judge Kathleen O'Malley will hear the case (No. 1:00-CV-
00661) in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of
Ohio, Eastern Division, at the Metzenbaum Courthouse, 201
Superior Ave.

More than a dozen plaintiffs in the case include the
Committee of 500 Years of Dignity and Resistance, which
regularly organizes protests outside Jacobs Field, and several
Cleveland-based national agencies of the United Church of
Christ.  They are represented by Cleveland attorney Niki Z.
Schwartz (phone 216-696-6122) and by the American Civil
Liberties Union of Ohio Foundation (phone 216-781-8639).
They will argue that, during past demonstrations, police and
security officers employed by Gateway have prohibited
protestors from peacefully assembling on plazas and
sidewalks that should be regarded as public.

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APRIL 10, 2000