The Observation Deck

You're being disingenuous. You're a lawyer and you know the difference.

The police can't barge into my home and look around for no reason. Nor can they stop me without cause and look into my purse. However, a large public gathering, where people voluntarily go, has now become potentially dangerous; Boston Marathon is a good example. In order to ensure the safety of the people gathered there, the police find it necessary to make sure no one harbors a gun, bomb, or other dangerous device on their person.

I think we can all agree that it's sad it's come to this, but asking people who voluntarily come to an event to prove they aren't bringing in contraband seems a price we have been forced to pay. If I really object, I can choose to not attend.

That's not the legal analysis, Grace.

But, since I agree with you 95% of the time, let's just agree to disagree as to #3.

After all, City Hall hasn't shut our First Amendment rights down ... yet.

Matt

If you believe having your bag or cooler searched is wrong then you have a right to not go to the park tonight

Bill Burnett wrote:If you believe having your bag or cooler searched is wrong then you have a right to not go to the park tonight

Well, Bill, that's not how the U.S. Constitution works.

Thankfully, there were folks who believed in liberty on July 4, 1776 ... and additional 4th Amendment constitutional rights between 1789 and 1792 ... and additional 14th Amendment constitutional rights on July 9, 1868 ... and so on.

Matt

Ryan Salo wrote:Lakewood is in the national news again...

Ryan,

My Facebook and Twitter news feeds are exploding with liberal and conservative news sources mocking Lakewood for posting signs threatening it blatantly ignore our 4th Amendment rights.

And, yet, here on the Deck, the consensus appears to be, "Oh, well. It's just one day."

Matt

A sign is ONLY as good as the enforcement!!!
I just rode through Lakewood Park and barricades block the road that leads to back of the park.
I saw 3 gas grills and people walking their dogs past the 'no dogs allowed' sign, others driving around the barricades.
I am NOT that ignorant!!! So we came home.

Cleveland MetroPark Facebook said about a hour ago that Edgewater is at capacity.

I'm guessing there will be even more of those people at Lakewood Park this evening.

Congrats to the city of Lakewood. One of the best fireworks show I have ever seen went off without a hitch!

16 year old son concurs, as do we ... best. show. ever. We had a great time. Well done.

the show was great- inhaling the smoke from a charcoal grill nearby wasn't.. nor was the fight at the skate park around 6:30 and the kids the "police" dispersed, who then cussed and argued on the field by the pool.

The signs were a neat idea, though. C for effort.

It was really great to be back in Lakewood for my favorite holiday.

So after saying that I hadn't attended for quite some time, we went up there last night and I was glad we did. The Lakewood Project was great, the crowd was fine and the fireworks were fantastic. Kudos to all involved. The weather sure didn't hurt either.

Based on all the post-event comments, it appears the signs "did their job?"

Is that how I should read it?

Did the signs keep everyone safe? Or was it strict enforcement by LPD that kept everyone safe?

Just curious ... were any of you who attended "searched?"

I saw several officers walking around but I never saw any activity on their part other than looking around and chatting but I never saw anything that needed addressing either.

The rules seem to be a bit overboard, but then I think with an event like that that attracts SO many people you really have to spell it out - no fireworks seems like a no-brainer when every inch of space is filled with people, yet there was still a family camped out near us in the park whose kids were swinging around lit sparklers, with their nearest neighbors only a foot away - people who may not have realized the kids behind them lit up sparklers and were waving them around right behind their heads. Same goes for the grills - it sucks, but it is a huge safety issue with that number of people!

Did the police actually do any searching of bags?