Seattle Affiliate v. City of Seattle

I. Factual and Procedural Background

The Seattle affiliate of the October 22nd Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Gen- 16374 SEATTLE AFFILIATE v. CITY OF SEATTLE eration (“Coalition”) is an unincorporated association dedi- cated to raising awareness of the problem of police brutality. It is part of a national coalition with 40 affiliates in cities throughout the United States; the focus of these affiliates’ efforts is holding a coordinated annual day of protest on Octo- ber 22. Every year since 1996, the Coalition’s Seattle mem- bers have held parades, rallies and speeches on this day in order to publicly commemorate their “National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality.” The Coalition intends to continue holding these events annually in the future.

The City of Seattle requires anyone wishing to conduct a parade in Seattle to first obtain a permit from the Seattle Chief of Police. The relevant ordinance states:

No person shall conduct or participate in a parade upon any street or alley in the City without first sub- mitting a written notification to the Chief of Police and obtaining a permit from the Chief of Police to do…