The ACLU of Rhode Island announced Tuesday that it has sued the City of Providence for "interfering with the exercise of free speech rights on the City’s streets and sidewalks."
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of local street musician Manuel Pombo, who the ACLU says has been arrested once, and "threatened with arrest on numerous other occasions, for playing his saxophone on sidewalks and street corners in Providence."
The ACLU said that Pombo has performed regularly at WaterFire and on public sidewalks outside the Dunkin Donuts Center, PPAC and many other places around the City, and that since the 1990s,has "sporadically been ordered by police officers to stop playing at various locations around the city, and he has always complied to avoid arrest. In recent years, however, the harassment has escalated significantly," sa'd the ACLU in a statement.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court by ACLU RI volunteer attorneys Shannah Kurland and John W. Dineen, challenges the legality of a “permission to perform” license Pombo first obtained from the city Board of Licenses over twenty years ago, which the ACLU says prohibits Pombo from soliciting donations for his performances, lets him to perform solely at the "unbridled discretion of police officers."
The ACLU lawsuit argues that the Board of Licenses’ permitting requirement constitutes an unconstitutional prior restraint of speech, that Pombo cannot be barred from soliciting donations for his performances, and that the complete and arbitrary discretion given police to determine when he can play in public violates Pombo’s free speech and due process rights.
"I have been performing in Providence for over two decades, but the level of police harassment has escalated enormously in the past two years. I love to play the saxophone and I know that it has brought joy to many people," said Pombo. "But I now live in constant fear of being arrested for playing my music, and it takes a physical toll on me. This is not the way a city that claims to be arts-friendly should treat anybody.”
Kurland added: “It's past time that the City of Providence learns that not only is respecting the Constitution the right thing to do, but that when they fail to train police officers in how the First Amendment works, it costs taxpayers money we could put to much better uses.”
Two years ago, a federal judge agreed with the ACLU that Providence police violated the free speech rights of a local resident when she was barred from peacefully leafleting on a public sidewalk in front of a building where then-Mayor David Cicilline was speaking. Last year, the ACLU sued the Providence Police Department for "violating the free speech rights of protesters" at a fundraiser in Roger Williams Park for then-Gubernatorial candidate Gina Raimondo.
11-22-11 Testing speed of horse. Every person who shall drive any horse over any of the public highways, for the purpose of racing or trying the speed of the horse, shall be fined not more than twenty dollars ($20.00) or imprisoned not exceeding ten (10) days.
Illegal to provide alcohol or narcotics to a hospital patient
Chapter 270: Section 5. Giving, selling or delivering alcoholic beverages or drugs to hospital patients; possession.
Section 5. Whoever, except under the direction of a physician, gives, sells or delivers alcoholic beverages, as defined in section one of chapter one hundred and thirty-eight, or a narcotic drug to a patient in any hospital who is suffering from inebriety or from the effect of inebriety, or from excessive use of narcotic drugs or from the effect of such use, and whoever has in his possession within the precincts of any hospital any such beverage or drug with intent to convey or deliver it to any such patient, except under direction as aforesaid, shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars or by imprisonment for not more than two months.
In Night. If any person shall carry away or collect for the purpose of carrying away any seaweed or rockweed from the seashore below high-water mark, between daylight in the evening and daylight in the morning, he shall be guilty of a violation.
Illegal to pass on left without making a loud noise
31-15-4 Overtaking on left.
The following rules shall govern the overtaking and passing of vehicles proceeding in the same direction, subject to those limitations, exceptions, and special rules stated in this section:
(1) The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall give a timely, audible signal and shall pass to the left at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle.
(2) Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the driver of the front vehicle on the audible signal of the overtaking vehicle shall give way to the right, and shall not increase speed until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle.
Illegal for dog leashes to exceed 8 feet in length
Section 3: Control
It shall be unlawful for any dog, licensed or unlicensed, to run at large, except when used for lawful hunting purposes.
At large means off the premises of the owner or keeper and not under the control of any person by means of personal presence and attention as will reasonably control the conduct of such dog.
Reasonable control, for the purposes of this Ordinance shall mean the use of a leash, cord, chain or otherwise, of not more than 8 feet in length, or unless confined within a vehicle, under restraint in an open vehicle being either driven or parked, or under voice control or command in the case of a trained dog providing that such control is strictly maintained.
(Adopted Annual Town Meeting June 8, 1991. Amended Special Town Meeting June 23, 2001)
Section 3. If the animal taken possession of as aforesaid has any infectious or contagious disease, or, for any reason, might lawfully be destroyed as an abatement of a public nuisance, that fact shall be prima facie evidence that the animal has no value.
Illegal for an arcade to have more than 4 amusement devices
81-2. Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
MECHANICAL AMUSEMENT DEVICE
A. Any mechanical pinball amusement device which is so constructed that the result of its operation depends upon chance, or upon the skill of the operator, or upon both;
B. Any mechanical device which in its operation shoots or propels an electric light, ray or impulse to a target;
C. Any table bowling, shuffleboard or other mechanical table game or amusement device involving the propulsion of spheres or other projectiles, mechanically or by hand; or
D. Any coin-operated or coin-in-the-slot table amusement device or game.
PERSON -- An individual, partnership, corporation, club or association.
81-3. License required; number restricted.
A. No person shall have in any place within a permanent structure open to the general public or occupied by any club or association any mechanical amusement device without first having obtained a license therefor.
B. Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection A, no person shall have in any place within a permanent structure open to the general public more than four mechanical amusement devices.
(4) Use the cemeteries as picnic grounds, or consume alcoholic beverages in a cemetery, or bring the same upon the premises.
(9) No child under the age of ten (10) years shall be allowed in any cemetery unless accompanied by an adult.
(11) Be within the cemetery at any time other than daylight hours except cemetery employees, police officers, or by authorization of the superintendent.
Illegal to fire gun from public highways (fine: up to $100)
General Statutes of Connecticut, Revised to 1997
Title-53 - Crimes
Sec. 53-204. Hunting or discharging firearm from public highway.
Any person who hunts or discharges any firearm from any public highway shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars. This section shall not apply to any law or conservation enforcement officer in the performance of his duty. Enforcement officers of the Department of Environmental Protection are empowered to arrest for the violation of the provisions of this section.
(a) No person shall be intoxicated, disorderly, engage in any form of gambling or commit any act constituting a nuisance on the airport.
(b) No person, except those duly authorized by law, shall carry any weapon, firearm or explosive in the airport, except encased sporting guns for air shipment.
(c) No person shall enter upon the airport field area, runways, taxiways, apron, service area or any area designated as restricted except persons assigned to duty therein and persons authorized by the airport manager, or by proper agencies, or passengers under appropriate supervision.
(d) Whoever, with the intent to destroy or disturb, in any manner, any building, equipment or flora of the airport or its users; alter or erect any building or sign; abandon any personal property in the airport; use or confiscate any material or property without the consent of the airport manager; or whoever shall, individually or in association with one or more others, willfully break, injure, tamper with or remove any parts of any vehicle or aircraft or temporarily or permanently prevent the useful operation thereof for any purpose against the will or without the consent of the owner of such vehicle or aircraft, or who shall in any manner willfully or maliciously interfere with or prevent the running or operation of such vehicle or aircraft; or whoever willfully takes and uses any vehicle, aeroplane or other aircraft or takes, drives, rides or uses the property of another, without the consent of the owner or person having legal custody, care and control thereof shall be subject to the penalty provisions of section 1-12 of this Code.
Illegal to check into a hotel under an assumed name
TITLE XXXI
TRADE AND COMMERCE
CHAPTER 353
HOTELS, TOURIST CABINS, ETC.
Defrauding an Innkeeper
Section 353:10
Evidence. In prosecutions brought under this subdivision, it shall be prima facie evidence of intent to defraud or of intent to avoid paying an owner of an inn or hotel if service was obtained from, in, or through an inn or hotel, by:
I. A false of fictitious show or pretense of any baggage or other property; or
II. The use of a false or fictitious name; or
III. The use of any credit card, the privilege to use which has been revoked, canceled, unauthorized, or in any way invalidated by the issue thereof; or
IV. Absconding without paying or offering to pay for the service prior to leaving such establishment unless a written agreement for credit has been executed; or
V. Surreptitiously removing or attempting to remove baggage or other property without having made payment; or
VI. Failing to make payment for any service after the owner, upon probable cause believing that the person has obtained service from, in, or through the inn or hotel with such intent to defraud or avoid payment, demands payment for such service.
(a) Prohibited activities. The following activities are prohibited at the Fletcher Free Library.
(1) Disorderly behavior. Disorderly behavior shall include fighting, disturbing or harassing other patrons or staff.
(2) Defacing, destroying or misusing library property, including furniture and other furnishings.
(3) Possessing open or opened intoxicants, food or beverages or being under the influence of intoxicating liquor as defined in 23 V.S.A. § 1200(4) or drug as defined in 23 V.S.A. § 1200(2).
Illegal to transport alcohol on town roads... even if unopened
Sec. 8-4. Possession, consumption of alcoholic beverages on town property.
(a) No person shall be in possession of alcoholic beverages upon any lands owned or controlled by the town without permission of the town council, nor shall any person consume any alcoholic beverage within or upon any land so controlled or upon any street, highway, sidewalk, or within any motor vehicle parked within or upon any land owned or controlled by the town, or within any motor vehicle parked upon any road, highway or lane within the boundaries of the town.
(b) Any person violating this section shall be punished in accordance with section 1-4.
Illegal to build a "spite fence" higher than 5 feet
TITLE XLVII
BOUNDARIES, FENCES AND COMMON FIELDS
CHAPTER 476
SPITE FENCES
Section 476:1
476:1 Fence as Private Nuisance. –
Any fence or other structure in the nature of a fence, unnecessarily exceeding 5 feet in height, erected or maintained for the purpose of annoying the owners or occupants of adjoining property shall be deemed a private nuisance.
Illegal to keep town records where alcohol is sold
Chapter 545
Sec. 30-97. Town and probate records not to be kept where
liquor is sold.
Town or probate records shall not be kept in any room in
which alcoholic liquor is sold, nor in any room from which
there is direct access to a room in which such liquor is
sold. Any town clerk or judge of probate violating the
provisions of this section shall be subject to the
penalties provided in section 30-113.
Section 8. Whoever sells to a person any candy enclosing or containing liquid or syrup having more than one per cent of alcohol shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars.
Illegal to maintain the national forest without a permit.
In the White Mountain National Forest, persons caught raking the beaches, picking up litter, hauling away trash, building a bench for the park, or any similar activity without a permit, he/she may be fined $150 for ''maintaining the national forest without a permit."
No person, except the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife or his/her designee or the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or his/her designee, shall feed or bait deer in the Town of Wells. This prohibition shall not apply within the boundaries of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, which is property owned by the United States and managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Illegal to impersonate the town sealer, auctioneer, corder, or fence-viewer
TITLE 11
Criminal Offenses
CHAPTER 11-14
False Personation
SECTION 11-14-2
11-14-2 Impersonation of town sealer, auctioneer, corder, or fence-viewer. Every person who shall falsely assume or pretend to be a town sealer of weights and measures, auctioneer, corder of wood, or fence-viewer, and shall act as such, shall be fined not less than twenty dollars ($20.00) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100).
In 1996, in wake of a disruption at the town's Apple Harvest Festival where several parade attendees sprayed police officers and others with silly string, the town council passed an ordinance that bans the sale, use or possession of canned silly string at carnivals or parades and in public places. Violators will be fined $99.
Chapter 140: Section 131. Licenses to carry firearms; Class A and B; conditions and restrictions.
[ Text applicable as provided by 1998, 180, Sec. 80.]
Section 131. All licenses to carry firearms shall be designated Class A or Class B, and the issuance and possession of any such license shall be subject to the following conditions and restrictions:
(a) A Class A license shall entitle a holder thereof to purchase, rent, lease, borrow, possess and carry: (i) firearms, including large capacity firearms, and feeding devices and ammunition therefor, for all lawful purposes, subject to such restrictions relative to the possession, use or carrying of firearms as the licensing authority deems proper; and (ii) rifles and shotguns, including large capacity weapons, and feeding devices and ammunition therefor, for all lawful purposes; provided, however, that the licensing authority may impose such restrictions relative to the possession, use or carrying of large capacity rifles and shotguns as it deems proper. A violation of a restriction imposed by the licensing authority under the provisions of this paragraph shall be cause for suspension or revocation and shall, unless otherwise provided, be punished by a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000; provided, however, that the provisions of section 10 of chapter 269 shall not apply to such violation.
The colonel of state police may, after an investigation, granta Class A license to a club or facility with an on-site shooting range or gallery, which club is incorporated under the laws of the commonwealth for the possession, storage and use of large capacity weapons, ammunition therefor and large capacity feeding devices for use with such weapons on the premises of such club; provided, however, that not less than one shareholder of such club shall be qualified and suitable to be issued such license; and provided further, that such large capacity weapons and ammunition feeding devices may be used under such Class A club license only by such members that possess a valid firearm identification card issued under section 129B or a valid Class A or Class B license to carry firearms, or by such other persons that the club permits while under the direct supervision of a certified firearms safety instructor or club member who, in the case of a large capacity firearm, possesses a valid Class A license to carry firearms or, in the case of a large capacity rifle or shotgun, possesses a valid Class A or Class B license to carry firearms. Such club shall not permit shooting at targets that depict human figures, human effigies, human silhouettes or any human images thereof, except by public safety personnel performing in line with their official duties.
Fine for being a vagrant: Up to $100 and 6 months imprisonment
3901. Vagrant defined
A transient person, roving from place to place and living without visible means of support, who begs, or who rides or attempts to ride on a railroad freight train or engine without the consent of the person in charge thereof, or who enters or attempts to enter a dwelling house, barn or other building without the permission of the owners or occupants thereof, shall be deemed a vagrant. The act of applying to a town service officer for general assistance or to a police officer for lodging or subsistence shall not be evidence that such a person is a vagrant. (Amended 1967, No. 147, 11, eff. Oct. 1, 1968.)
3902. Penalty A vagrant shall be imprisoned for not more than six months or fined not more than $100.00. The court may further order, in case a fine is imposed, that, if such fine is not paid within 24 hours, the respondent be imprisoned for as many days as twice the number of dollars in the sentence, including the costs of detention and commitment. (Amended 1969, No. 131, 1, eff. April 23, 1969.)
Retail Sale Prohibited. A person shall not sell or supply (including online retail) mercury fever thermometers to consumers and patients, except by prescription. The manufacturers of mercury fever thermometers shall supply clear instructions on the careful handling of the thermometer to avoid breakage and proper cleanup should a breakage occur with all mercury fever thermometers sold through prescriptions.
Illegal to play athletic games on Sunday without license... except Hockey and Ice Polo
TITLE 41
Sports, Racing, and Athletics
CHAPTER 41-6
Athletic Games on Sunday
SECTION 41-6-3
41-6-3 Professional games permissible by license. Professional athletic games, except ice polo and hockey, may be played and held in any city or town on the first day of the week under a license therefor issued by the licensing authorities of the town or city in the manner designated under this chapter; provided, however, that the bureau of licenses of the city of Providence may license ice polo and hockey to be played or held in rinks or other enclosed buildings on the first day of the week.
Owners have one year to claim thair lost animals (Stray Beasts), but owe restitution to finder
PART I ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
TITLE XXPUBLIC SAFETY AND GOOD ORDER
CHAPTER 134 LOST GOODS AND STRAY BEASTS
Section 6
Rights of owner and finder of stray beasts
If the owner of stray beasts appears within one year after the finding thereof, and proves title thereto, he shall, if they have not been sold under the preceding section, have restitution thereof upon payment, except as provided in section two, of all reasonable expenses incurred by the finder in keeping such beasts and in complying with this chapter; but if they have been sold he shall be entitled to receive the proceeds of the sale after deducting the expenses aforesaid. If no such owner appears within said year the beasts, or the proceeds, shall enure to the finder, provided he has complied with this chapter.