Federal Court Rules Indiana Protester's Rights Violated During Cheney Visit

American Civil Liberties Union : Federal Court Rules Indiana Protester's Rights Violated During Cheney Visit: "VANSVILLE, IN-In a victory for free speech rights and the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, a federal judge ruled today that Evansville police violated a protester's constitutional rights by restricting his movement and arresting him for disorderly conduct before a 2002 appearance by Vice President Dick Cheney.

In granting summary judgment on John Blair's claim that his First Amendment rights were violated, U.S. District Court Judge Larry J. McKinney directly addressed the recent trend of using security concerns as justification for limiting advocates to so-called 'protest zones' far away from official events.

'The restriction of protesters to an area 50"