Area tea party accuses city of 'free speech discrimination'

The Jefferson Area Tea Party has accused Charlottesville officials of engaging in free speech discrimination by giving unequal treatment to political groups that hold rallies in public parks.

In a Friday news release, the JATP said its outrageous that a conservative group had to pay hundreds of dollars to hold a one-hour rally Friday in Jackson Park, while Occupy Charlottesville activists received waivers while camping for a month and a half in Lee Park.

Those waivers were granted as a result of theprofessed political kinship by the all-Democrat City Council with theOccupy Charlottesville activists, the JATP release stated.

The Tea Party warned that fee requirements can stifle free speech for political groups who cant afford to pay.

We believe such costs should not be required for First Amendment activities, the release said. But if they are, then they should be equally applied without regard to the politics or the message of the applicant organization.

The Tea Party claims that a group known as Stand Up for Religious Freedom, formed in opposition to federal contraception mandates, had to front more than $600 in fees, deposits and insurance coverage in order to hold its rally.

City Parks and Recreation Director Brian Daly said the city charged SURF a $25 application fee and a $250 security deposit.

The deposit will be returned to the group on Monday, Daly said, adding that the group will simply incur a net fee of $25.

Harold Koenig, who helped organize the SURF rally, said the group also had to pay $332.32 to a private insurance company to indemnify the city up to $1 million, which he said was required by Charlottesville.

Koenig said the fees seem entirely reasonable, but they should be equally applied.

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Area tea party accuses city of 'free speech discrimination'