City settles lawsuit over rush-hour convention protest ban

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia has lifted a blanket ban on rush-hour protests in its central business district during the Democratic National Convention and has agreed to give a demonstration permit to an anti-poverty group.

The Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign had sued over being denied a permit to march on the convention's opening day, from City Hall in downtown Philadelphia to the convention site 4 miles away.

A city spokeswoman said the suit was settled after the march starting time was moved up to 2 p.m. But the group's organizer and the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed the lawsuit on the group's behalf, disputed that claim.

Mary Catherine Roper, the ACLU's deputy legal director in Pennsylvania, said while the group may march during what the city understands as rush hour, temporarily diverted traffic is nothing new in Philadelphia.