© 2024 | Jefferson Public Radio
Southern Oregon University
1250 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, OR 97520
541.552.6301 | 800.782.6191
Listen | Discover | Engage a service of Southern Oregon University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Federal Judge Rules In Favor of Occupy Eugene Activists

A Federal Judge has ruled that the GSA violated the rights of Occupy Eugene protesters when it evicted them from the Eugene Federal Building plaza in 2012.
Occupy Eugene
A Federal Judge has ruled that the GSA violated the rights of Occupy Eugene protesters when it evicted them from the Eugene Federal Building plaza in 2012.

A federal judge has ruled in favor of Occupy Eugene activists who were evicted from a downtown plaza two years ago during a months-long protest.

A Federal Judge has ruled that the GSA violated the rights of Occupy Eugene protesters when it evicted them from the Eugene Federal Building plaza in 2012.
Credit Occupy Eugene
A Federal Judge has ruled that the GSA violated the rights of Occupy Eugene protesters when it evicted them from the Eugene Federal Building plaza in 2012.

Judge Michael McShane ruled Wednesday that General Services Administration officials wrongly restricted protesters' First Amendment rights when they limited what had been an around-the-clock protest outside the Federal Building. Attorney Lauren Regan represents Occupy protesters. She says the judge told the GSA it can't restrict political action during certain hours.

Regan: "We argued that in fact constitutional rights do not go away at 5 p.m. or 10 p.m. and that the right to protest whether it is a war or homelessness or the environment is an absolute, integral constitutional right that must be defended and upheld."

Despite his ruling in favor of the group, the judge disagreed with Occupy Eugene's assertion that it was targeted because of its message.

 

Copyright 2014 KLCC

Rachael McDonald is KLCC's All Things Considered host. She also reports on a variety of topics including local government, education, and breaking news.