Photos: Inside DNC 2016 ‘Free Speech Zones’

Declaration Staff

City officials released on Thursday a map of where within FDR Park protesters will be permitted to demonstrate from July 24th to July 28th during the Democratic National Convention. The park, according to the map included below, will be divided into six zones. A pro-Sanders organizer named Billy Taylor has been granted permits for the first four zones; permits for the remaining two spaces are currently pending.

We decided to go to FDR Park on Sunday to document how visible DNC protesters will be to delegates and other powerbrokers arriving and leaving the Wells Fargo Center during the three-day convention.

Photos below the map:

Zone One

The best spot, relatively speaking. It’s located at the intersection of Broad and Pattison, which will be closed to public traffic. So delegates driving by in their limousines or using the Broad Street line across the street might be able to see and hear your free speech – depending on what type of security fencing the Secret Service erects, of course. If you want to demonstrate about something other than Bernie Sanders though – like, say, anything besides Bernie Sanders – just hope that Billy Taylor is generous with the space. This is the first of four spaces granted to him, and he really, really loves Bernie.

Photo: Kristi Petrillo/The Declaration

Zone Two

It starts to become harder to see protesters as you go south from Zone One into Two. See the trees on the right hand side of the photo? That tree line gets thicker and there’s interstate on-ramp fencing farther down. And no matter how opaque the Secret Service fencing is, it will be difficult for delegates to see protesters here.

Photo: Kristi Petrillo/The Declaration

Zone Three

This spot is tucked behind One and Two. There is no line of sight between delegates and demonstrators. And the baseball field, per the map, is off limits.