PUBLISHED: SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

On August 15, 2018, the U.S. National Park Service proposed a number of changes to the regulations governing the management of permitted demonstrations and special events on the National Mall and Memorial Parks. One such change would have allowed the NPS to charge protest organizers fees to recover costs related to protests on the National Mall and Memorial Parks.

In this letter to the Director of the NPS, ICNL expresses concerns about the plan, noting that the new rules could chill the right to protest, violate the United States’ international obligations, undercut US foreign policy objectives, and make it harder for ICNL and its partners to advocate for assembly rights abroad.