It is the declared public policy of the District of Columbia that persons and groups have a right to organize and participate in peaceful First Amendment assemblies on the streets, sidewalks, and other public ways, and in the parks of the District of Columbia, and to engage in First Amendment assembly near the object of their protest so they may be seen and heard, subject to reasonable restrictions designed to protect public safety, persons, and property, and to accommodate the interest of persons not participating in the assemblies to use the streets, sidewalks, and other public ways to travel to their intended destinations, and use the parks for recreational purposes.
(Apr. 13, 2005, D.C. Law 15-352, § 103, 52 DCR 2296.)
This section is referenced in § 5-331.04 and § 5-331.07.
Structure District of Columbia Code
Title 5 - Police, Firefighters, Medical Examiner, and Forensic Sciences
Chapter 3A - First Amendment Rights and Police Standards
Subchapter I - First Amendment Assemblies
§ 5–331.03. Policy on First Amendment assemblies
§ 5–331.04. Reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions on First Amendment assemblies
§ 5–331.05. Notice and plan approval process for First Amendment assemblies — Generally
§ 5–331.07. Police handling and response to First Amendment assemblies
§ 5–331.08. Use of police lines
§ 5–331.09. Identification of MPD personnel policing First Amendment assemblies
§ 5–331.10. Documentation of arrests in connection with a First Amendment assembly
§ 5–331.12. Prompt release of persons arrested in connection with a First Amendment assembly
§ 5–331.14. Police-media relations
§ 5–331.15. Training for handling of, and response to, First Amendment assemblies
§ 5–331.16. Use of riot gear and riot tactics at First Amendment assemblies