Washington D.C. Sued by Judicial Watch for Equal Access to Paint City Streets

In response to the D.C. government painting “Black Lives Matter” on a street and allowing protestors to paint “Defund the Police” next to it, Judicial Watch has decided to sue the city for access to paint “Because No One Is Above the Law” on the street in front of their headquarters.

According to PJ Media:

Judicial Watch said the city has turned its streets into a public forum for political expression by painting and allowing the other messages, which means that it cannot shut out other competing messages or else it runs afoul of the First Amendment.

“DC streets surfaces are now being used as public fora for expressive activity,” Judicial Watch said one of its letters demanding access to the streets for its own painting.

The group said it would pay for the painting but needs the city to arrange to divert traffic. After three weeks of requests went effectively unanswered, Judicial Watch said it had to sue.

The piece continued, also adding that it wanted to do the same in New York City, in response to the proposed idea to paint “Black Lives Matter” on big streets in all five of the city’s boroughs:

“Mayor Bowser gave us the runaround rather than access, as the First Amendment requires, to a DC street to paint our timely message and motto: Because No One is Above the Law!” stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Our message is especially relevant today because it applies equally to law enforcement and public officials as well as to protesters, looters, and rioters.”

On Tuesday, June 30, in response New York Mayor de Blasio’s announcement that “Black Lives Matter” is to be painted on prominent streets in all five boroughs, Judicial Watch formally asked the mayor for permission to paint “Because No One Is Above the Law” on a street, preferably Fifth Avenue between 81st and 83rd Streets.

This will, undoubtably, be interesting to watch. Are all messages equal? Or just the ones the Left agrees with?