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"After Weeks of Discussions, ACLU Negotiates Agreement over Location of Cuban Protesters at Latin Grammy Awards in Miami"
September 2003 Edition of the ACLU of Florida Newsletter
After weeks of discussions over the location of a protest zone, the Greater Miami Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida helped negotiate an agreement in early August between Cuban exiles and the Miami Police Department. The agreement cleared the way for the Latin Grammy Awards Ceremony to be held in Miami on September 3.
The debate centered on the location of planned protests. Cuban exile leaders, who are planning a demonstration to protest the presence of Cuban nominees who represent Castro's repressive government, argued that they would neither be seen nor heard if they were forced to hold their demonstration at a location far removed from the awards ceremony.
The ACLU negotiated an arrangement that places the protest at a site at which the First Amendment rights of the protesters as well as the security concerns of the event organizers are addressed to everyone's satisfaction. Ultimately all the parties agreed on a location about 260 feet south of the red carpet area at the American Airlines Arena.
Just a few years ago, Miami-Dade County was governed by the "Cuba Ordinance," which prohibited the use of county facilities by anyone from Cuba or anyone doing business with Cuba. The ACLU successfully challenged the ordinance, making it possible for the Latin Grammys to come to Miami.
In 2001, organizers of the Latin Grammy Awards moved the show from Miami to Los Angeles at the last minute because of fears that protests might threaten the safety of those attending and present a bad image for the awards ceremony.
"This is an extraordinary lesson in the First Amendment," said Randall Marshall, Legal Director of the ACLU of Florida, who negotiated the agreement with ACLU Greater Miami Chapter President Lida Rodriguez-Taseff.
"Despite all the initial disagreements, we were able to ensure exiles and former political prisoners have the right to protest in a meaningful way, while alleviating the organizer's concern about security and logistics."
