Arizona sun., 1962-09-27
Chy. Commissioners
Block Further
Sit.|n Demonstrations

Su-uI DOuIlVIuSHh O1uVnbS
TALLADEGA, Ala. = The City
Commissioners have passed law
to block further sit-in demonstra-
tions, marches, and picketing here.
1t provides fines and Jail terms
up to six months for violators.
The ordinance is one of the
harshest yet seen in the South.
The effect is virtually the same
as martial law, in that it places
strict bans on assembly of three
or more persons.
One section of the law is aimed
specially at students who protest
ed against segregation here last
spring. This action was led by
Negro and white students from
Talladega College and included
high-school pupils.
The new law appears to have
been passed in preparation for a
hearing here October 8 on court
order issued against students and
others on April 49, In asking for
the order, State Attorney General
Macdonald Gallon told the State
Circuit Court that remedy by
law is inadequate"
Those named in the order chal-
lenged the injunction on the ground
that it violates their rights under
the First and 14th Amendments
to the U. S. Constitution. T e
first Amendment guarantees free
dom of speech, press, assembly,
and petition, such as picketing
and marching.
The city ordinance states that
it is designed to regulate the
size of crowds upon the public
streets, sidewalks, ways, public
parks and public-school property. "
1t is intended to prevent unlaw-
full assemblies, riots, disorderly
conduct, disturbances of the peace,
and conduct calculated to cause
same"
This is similar to the wording in
the injunction issued by Judge
William C. Sullivan. However, his
order did not apply to white hood
lums who attacked students TAX
ing part in peaceful demonstra-
tions.
Several students were struck by
the hoodlums, four were teargass-
ed, and some others were beat
Ell by police who stopped a march
the day before the court order
was issued.
The ordinance makes it unlaw-
full ''for any person to congregate
with one or more other persons
upon the public streets, sidewalks
or other public property and to
refuse and fail to move on at the
request or direction of a police
officer or other duly constituted
law officer" ;"
1t also forbids 'any person or
combination of persons to stand,
walk or march in group or near
to each other on any sidewalk,
street, or crossing so as to OBJ
struct free passage of other pedes-
trians or vehicles thereon.
The ordinance says further:
Whenever the police or other
lawful officers have reasonable
cause to believe that an asSemb-
lage of persons of three or more
in number on any sidewalk, in any
place of business to which the
public is invited, or upon any pub
lie property, is likely to cause
a riot, disturbance or breach of
the peace, such officer shall order
such assemblage to disperSe.
This is virtually the same as
Judge Sullivan'S injunction, which
at this point is temporary. The
hearing on Oct. 8 is to determine
whether the order shall be made
permanent.
At least two of the persons en-
joined in the order have said they
will not be stopped from their
work for integration by such an
order. One is Bob Zellner, native
of Alabama and a field secretary
for the Student Nonviolent Coor-
'dinating Committee (SNCC), At
lanta. Another is Carl Braden, a
field secretary and editor for the
Southern Conference Educational
Fund (SCEF) in New Orleans. 4
Violation of the injunction could
result in fines and Jail terms for
contempt.