Impose reasonable limits on protests

The people have the constitutional right of assembly, but they should not have the unrestricted right to create costly and unsafe conditions for the people of a city or community.

In Greater Chicago and surrounding communities there has been an increasing number of protests, with the number of people attending these events also increasing. It's not uncommon for city services to deploy thousands of police, medical assistance, and emergency tack units to ensure the safety and health of all concerned.

With ever increasing costs to run our cities, many critical infrastructures in dire need of repair, the last thing we need are thousands of people taking a day off work, creating excess trash, jamming traffic, and compromising the public safety.

In many documented cases both here and abroad these protests are becoming more violent and difficult to control. Our law enforcement is at risk, people participating are at risk, and the property of citizens in the wake become most vulnerable.

A maximum of 300 people would be quite suitable to make a statement for a given cause. If an organization feels compelled to have more people involved then ask some large property owner to loan or rent the land and have a ball on your own dime. There are alternate methods to rally and protest that get the point across, attend local city or school board meetings, run for office or vote to make your statement.

By creating an equal opportunity ordinance to limit the culmination of the masses we could cut costs, decrease law suits, increase productivity, and avoid the regret of a growing civic problem likely to reach chaotic and irreversible proportions.

Jerry Bromley

Schaumburg