[Peace-discuss] Fwd: Police warn UC-IMC about posting of handbills

[Jim Buell]

This warning is also relevant to any other groups and individuals around 
the community whose flyers might end up on public property - watch out.

jb


>Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 14:06:51 -0500 (CDT)
>From: Sascha Meinrath <sascha at ucimc.org>
>
>Subject: [Imc] July 18, 2002 -- Police Visit the UCIMC:
>
>Hi everyone,
>
>The police visited the IMC today to give us official warning that
>"BILLPOSTING IS ILLEGAL."  So, DO NOT, for any reason, illegally post
>bills for the IMC.  Here's an excerpt:
>
>"As a business owner or manager, you are responsible for bills posted for
>your business by your employees and agents, including as an example bands
>you have booked to appear in your establishment.  Please counsel your
>employees, bands, and promotional agencies accordingly.
>
>Fines for billposting can be up to $400.00 PER DAY FOR EACH POSTER EVERY
>DAY THAT IT IS DISPLAYED... Strict enforcement begins August 15, 2002."
>
>So, from here on out, EVERY band or organization that utilizes the IMC
>should be told about this law and must agree to abide by it if they are to
>utilize IMC resources.
>
>As many of you know, the IMC has recently been ticketed for obstructing a
>right of way during an art opening several weeks ago and the police have
>refused to drop this rather dubious ticket.  Enforcement of this law could
>bankrupt the IMC within 1-2 days and I have little doubt that the police
>will strictly enforce this ordinance against the IMC.
>
>Here's the law (Chapter 3 of the City Code of Champaign, Article II
>Section 3-17):  "(a) No placard, poster, circular, showbill, handbill,
>card, leaflet, sign, or other advertising matter whatsoever shall be
>placed, posted, nailed, painted, printed, stamped, or in any way be
>attached, on any street or sidewalk, or upon any fence, wall, post, tree,
>platform tower, telegraph pole, telephone pole, electric light pole, or
>other utility pole or tower or in or upon any easement, right-of-way, or
>on property owned, managed or controlled by the City except where
>permitted by law. (b) No person shall post any bill or advertisement on
>any private property without the written consent of the owner thereof."
>
>Yeah freedom of expression!
>
>--Sascha
>
>P.S. Please forward this message to other organizations that may be
>effected since I doubt that the police individually visited all the groups
>that flyer in the Champaign-Urbana area to warn them.