As demonstrations across the country multiply, whether it’s to protest actions by the Trump administration or immigration officials, Montgomery County, Maryland, officials say they will work with organizers of protests, rallies and demonstrations to make sure things go as planned.
“Our commitment here is to public safety,” said Montgomery County Police Chief Marc Yamada.
When it comes to residents’ First Amendment rights, he said, the county is “content-neutral.”
Everyone has the right to express their views, he said.
“We’re all for that,” Yamada said.
But Yamada said that is made possible with cooperation between organizers and police.
“We make contact with the organizers whenever possible to make sure that everything is understood,” Yamada said.
The basic rules for protests in the county, said Yamada are as follows: “Do not block traffic, do not block public walkway access, do not use amplified noisemakers.”
And that includes using microphones connected to amplifiers, megaphones, drums and musical instruments that could exceed the county’s noise limits.
Yamada said the rights of those who are targets of protests should also be protected. He said when things threaten to escalate, “we provide warnings in advance.”
“Should we see anything that is illegal, and only then if you fail to obey the warnings that are given, that can result in a citation or criminal enforcement,” Yamada said.
Yamada said in one year, there were as many as 153 protests across Montgomery County and yet, “there were no arrests made.”
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