ACLU TAKING POLK COUNTY TO COURT OVER "FREE" SPEECH ZONE

The Lakeland Ledger is reporting this evening that the American Civil Liberties Union and two other plantiffs have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Tampa, challenging the requirments to use the so-called "free speech zone" in front of the Neil Combee County Administration Building in Bartow.

The issue was sparked by a Bartow church's Sunday School class erected a Nativity scene without permission. Later a Lakeland radio station placed a display there, and a sign wishing for "Festivus for the rest of us".

Polk County's Board of County Commissioners eventually established requirments for use of the "free speech zone", which includes purchasing a $500,000 insurance policy. Other requirments include no commercial or obscene references, and a 21 day advance notice.

The ACLU was denied permission to place a display on the site because of the insurance policy requirment. Also acting as plantiffs in the lawsuit are the Humanist Association of Tampa and a Lakeland resident.