ACLU says Genesee County Parks is violating Freedom of Speech laws

GENESEE COUNTY The group is speaking up on behalf of a petitioner working to recall Governor Rick Snyder.

Park officials say it's all a misunderstanding.

It was at a 135-acre park in Linden where a volunteer with the Committee to Recall Governor Snyder says she was asked to stay in one spot.

The volunteer had a permit to collect signatures in the park, but Director Amy McMillan says it is policy that petitioners stay in a certain area for the sake of other visitors.

"We designated a free speech area, and they are on the park maps," McMillan said.

"The parks service went out and painted a 3x3 square foot area at the very end of the parking lot, far away from any foot traffic," said Glenn Simmington of Cline, Cline & Griffin.

McMillan says the volunteer misunderstood the guidelines. She says the orange box was drawn specifically to help the petitioner find the area, but she was not confined to the painted area.

"I can understand how this looks, but it is not as it appears. Everybody has a right to free speech, we are not anti-free speech at all," McMillan said.

"Even if that is the misunderstanding I think that the bigger misunderstanding is that the park system thinks that it can designate a spot where people can engage in core political speech in a public park," Simmington said.

Park officials plan to meet with the ACLU later this week to discuss the situation. McMillan says she hopes they come to an understanding.

"We believe it is everyone's best interest to resolve this issue," McMillan said.

The ACLU also expressed concern that the petitioner was barred from collecting signatures after 6 p.m. Park officials say they granted the time based on the volunteers request.

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