Yahoo! News - New York City Sued for Blocking Civil Rights Rally
NEW YORK (Reuters) - An Arab American organization and an anti-war group said on Friday they have sued New York City for blocking a huge civil rights rally in Central Park just before the start of the Republican National Convention.

The National Council of Arab Americans and the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) said the city's action violated their free speech rights by barring the rally planned for Aug. 28.

The suit follows the city's rejection on Tuesday of a new bid by United for Peace and Justice, an umbrella organization of 800 anti-war groups, to stage the biggest rally of the Republican convention in Central Park.

Authorities first denied a permit for the rally in May out of security concerns and fear of damage to a recently installed irrigation system.

Makes you wonder what would happen if these groups 'just showed up' anyway. What are they going to do, arrest thousands of people?