In a direct response to Charlotte’s Occupy movement, the city’s council has proposed an ordinance to outlaw camping on city property to prepare for this summer’s Democratic National Convention.
Predictably, members of Occupy Charlotte have begun speaking out against the regulation, claiming it violates their First Amendment rights.
But this is a question of pragmatism and safety. Charlotte is well within its rights to take the preventative steps it deem necessary to ensure a successful convention.
The argument that camping is a form of protest and, by extension, a form of speech is a tenuous one. The aim of this ordinance is not to eliminate demonstration altogether. Picketing, holding signs, chanting — these are the sorts of activities that are protected by the First Amendment, and protesters will remain free to engage in them.
The stakes are too high for Charlotte officials to take any chances with security. Because camping is a long-term form of protest, it often poses a much more difficult security risk.
Protesting for a short time outside the convention is one thing, but having a permanent camp of protesters is entirely different. This problem is magnified by the heavy concentration of high profile and controversial political figures who usually attend party conventions.
Political concerns aside, Charlotte has much to gain from a successful convention.
In the short term, it will be a boon to the city’s economy, with the massive influx of people attending the event as well as the media spotlight that will be focused on the city’s bustling downtown. In the long term, hosting the DNC will help put Charlotte on the map as a potential host for future tournaments, conventions and other revenue-generating events.
Charlotte is a newcomer to the scene, and it should capitalize on this opportunity to prove itself. Bungling the DNC would be a major setback in Charlotte’s rise in national prestige.
