Fighting for 1st amendment  rights in OB 2 8 2023
Channel: William J. Dorsett
Date: 2023-02-09

Wednesday February 8th I was informed that the San Diego Rangers and Police would be back in full force. I showed up and set up with a lighter set up at about 10 am. At 1pm they arrived, and though the ranger who made contact with me the week before was glaring when he arrived he and his fellow rangers passed by my stand completely! Even though I was “blocking” the same sidewalk. While the rangers were making their way one by one through the vendors on the grass, the police witnessed a man kick his dog and did nothing. Shortly after, police made contact with a homeless man illegally drinking on the wall and wrote him a citation, then went and cited a busker who had his little dogs with him as he was playing the drums. I heard that THE Police cited one woman just for sitting on the sidewalk in her chair.  Then the police made no further contacts. After about an hour of this the rangers and police wrapped up with what they were doing and all passed by my stand again without saying a single word to me. 
Not sure if filing a complaint was the key to this or if their bosses saw the viral video and reprimanded them. Either way they didn’t bother to make any contact with me which was a great demonstration of how ranger contact should be with first amendment protected activities. Though realistically there were several first amendment protected artists the rangers did question and make contact with! Either way it was interesting to see them not say a word to me!