USA: Why Can’t We Party in the Street?

The heart of the issue lies in people’s right to gather in the streets, which, in fact, shouldn’t really be an issue. Streets are public spaces and in the U.S. at least, our right to assemble in pubic spaces is constitutionally protected—unassailable. Streets have been gathering places for people since the beginnings of civilization. More recently, we saw streets and central squares become important organizing centers in the protests that sparked the Arab Spring as well. Or consider, on a happier note, the iconic image of a sailor, dipping a nurse and kissing her in joy in the center of Times Square on V-day, marking the end of World War II. Try to imagine instead of that celebratory scene, the police force arresting V-day crowds because they were delaying rush hour commuters …READ MORE