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Woodstock City Council Passes Anti-Protest Ordinance Hours After Grassroots Group Submits Revised Permit Application
- woodstockcan
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
Woodstock Council Passes New Restrictions on Public Events—While Ignoring Constitutional Rights
WOODSTOCK, GA — On Monday, May 12, the Woodstock City Council voted 5–0 to approve sweeping changes to the city’s special events ordinance, making it harder for local residents to organize public events, visibility actions, and protests—even on sidewalks.
The vote came just hours after Indivisible Woodstock CAN submitted a revised event plan and paid a $50 application fee for its upcoming June 14 rally, No Kings in Woodstock—a peaceful, sidewalk-based demonstration that is part of a national day of action against authoritarianism.
“We applied for a permit so we could legally use amplified sound and a tent,” said organizer Martha Jean Schindler. “But we don’t need anyone’s permission to protest. Our right to peaceful assembly is protected by the U.S. Constitution—and no city ordinance overrides that. We will be there. Legally. Period.”
What Was Proposed vs. What Was Passed
Originally proposed:
Removal of the 50-person threshold for permits
A cap of two non-city events per month downtown
Fee exemptions only for registered nonprofits or churches
Broad denial powers and new cost recovery mechanisms
Permits required even for First Amendment–protected events
Ultimately passed:
Downtown cap increased to four events per month after pushback
Discretionary waiver power granted to the City Manager
Fireworks regulations separated into a new article
Vague “infrastructure impact” language retained
No protection added for peaceful sidewalk protest
Let’s be clear: peaceful protest on public sidewalks—without blocking traffic or using amplified sound—cannot be lawfully subjected to discretionary permitting. The U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed this again and again. These changes may target protest, but they cannot override the First Amendment.
“The city is pretending it has the legal power to approve or deny peaceful assembly. It doesn’t,” said Schindler. “Trying to regulate what the Constitution forbids you from regulating isn’t just lawless—it’s a waste of taxpayer dollars.”
Council’s Debate Revealed the Real Agenda
At Monday’s council meeting, city officials made it clear that this wasn’t just administrative housekeeping—it was about control.
Redefining sidewalks to suppress protest
At Monday’s meeting, council members raised the possibility that sidewalks appearing on the Greenprints Trail map could be reclassified as “trails” or “park land.” The implication? That these areas wouldn’t fall under the standard First Amendment protections that apply to public sidewalks.
This is a dangerous and dishonest maneuver. Under the U.S. Constitution, peaceful protest is protected in all traditional public forums—including sidewalks, parks, and trails—so long as it doesn’t obstruct traffic or require special city services. The law does not allow governments to erase those rights by renaming the space underneath your feet.
“This is about control, not safety,” said Schindler. “They’re trying to redraw the map of Woodstock—not physically, but legally—to say: ‘You’re not on a sidewalk anymore, so your rights don’t apply.’ But the Constitution still does.”
By attempting to redefine public walkways as something else, the city is laying the groundwork to justify future crackdowns—not based on behavior, but based on location. It’s a deliberate effort to narrow the space where dissent is allowed.
Restricting access to a taxpayer-funded amphitheater
City staff claimed the amphitheater should only be rented to the public once per month because it's a “strain on city services.” At the same time, they claimed it’s underused and not generating enough revenue—suggesting both increased limits and increased fees.
“So the amphitheater is somehow both overbooked and underutilized,” said Schindler. “It’s classic gatekeeping. They want fewer events and higher fees—and they’re blaming the public for a staffing issue they refuse to fix.”
Too poor to serve the public
City leaders argued that the new restrictions are necessary because the city is too understaffed to keep people at events safe. Instead of hiring staff or resourcing the services residents already pay for, they’re choosing to restrict public access entirely.
“If the city can’t afford to uphold basic civic freedoms, it’s not the people who are the problem—it’s the priorities,” said Schindler.
A Threat to Everyone
This isn’t just about one group or one event. These rules impact every resident, business, and community organization in Woodstock—churches, sports leagues, veterans groups, neighborhood associations, cultural festivals, small businesses, and anyone else who hopes to organize or speak out in public.
The ordinance:
Limits community use of public spaces like the amphitheater and event green
Enables the city to impose arbitrary fees, even when services aren’t requested
Creates vague, subjective reasons to deny permits
Caps non-city events while exempting city-sponsored or well-funded ones
Makes rapid-response protest nearly impossible under the new timeline rules
“If they can shut us out, they can shut anyone out,” said Schindler. “Whether you’re a protester or a parent planning a community event, this should concern you.”
Timeline of Suppression on May 12th
Morning– Indivisible Wodostock CAN submits permit requesting use of the Park at City Center for June 14
Early Afternoon– City emails Indivisible CAN denying use of the park for June 14
Mid-Afternoon – Group submits revised event plan and pays fee
Evening – Council passes the ordinance with full awareness of its potential for overreach
“They knew what they were doing—and they passed it anyway,” said Schindler.
Indivisible Woodstock CAN's Next Event Is Still On
The No Kings in Woodstock protest will take place on Saturday, June 14 from 2:00–4:00 PM on the public sidewalks of Downtown Woodstock.
It will be peaceful. It will be safe. It will be lawful. And it will be constitutionally protected—whether the city likes it or not.
“We are not asking for permission to exist in public space,” said Schindler. “We are standing up for the rights of every resident. We’re not going anywhere.”
MEDIA CONTACT
Martha Jean Schindler
Instagram: @indivisiblewoodstockcan