This is FU

WE DON’T COVER RIZOLI, WOLF, AND PLOSS OFTEN – But this needs to be exposed. The city and/or those representing it, cannot trample on the public’s rights without response.

This story covers First Amendment violations by city, city council, police – via counter protest suppression on public property, in removal of citizens rights to publicly participate in government, limiting of speech used, and the right to redress.

Why did I mention the word ‘Fucking’ above? I did because it’s protected free speech. (Cohen vs. California). While in the private setting you can be fired for saying such things… in public its your fucking right to say what ever your fucking want, even ‘FUCK’!

On the public sidewalk, in a public park, inside a public school, or any public building you can say whatever you want, and if anyone tries to stop it, citing disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct, or any other BS unconstitutional bylaw, ordinance, or rule, you might be best telling the authorities to go fuck themselves, and if they push it, by taking further action, removal, arrest, detention, you can sue and likely will win a pretty penny or two.

On April 25th, the City Council chairman sought to silence resident Joseph Rizoli, who was merely taking to the podium in public participation, to redress his grievances to his government. In the course of his statement, in reciting words said to him, he said the word ‘Fuck’, and immediately was aggressively told he couldn’t say the word, was egged on to push his luck and see what would happen, and was threatened with arrest or at the very least police detainment.

“I see someone in the back of the room who can have you removed in 3 minutes”, implying that after the 3 minutes allowed to redress grievances in public participation, that the right to observe one’s government, was going to end.

City Council Chair Ottaviani should issue an apology as his actions could dissuade others from participating in government. How is it wrong for Rizoli to say a word that Ottaviani lets slip regularly… among other 4 letter words.

It turns out, that the police did remove Rizoli, and his friend, non-resident and failed gubernatorial candidate Diana Ploss, from the meeting, who was not allowed to speak in public participation and a recess was called in order to stop her from speaking. And per the rules of city council, it was the right and prerogative of the city council chair to stop her speech.

See the video below. See how Rizoli’s rights were violated, and watch to the very end when the Police Chief himself removes Rizoli and Ploss from the room. Keep below to see the video of the protest that led to Rizoli’s City Council speech.

In the protest of April 10, a response to a potentially racist attack on a Brazilian immigrant by another woman, stemming from a parking dispute in Burkis Square, DTF – city leaders came together with a small group of protesters to support the immigrant population of Framingham on the steps of the Memorial Building/City Hall.

In the video below you will see Rizoli speaking to School Committee member Willie LaBarge, who used to protest against illegal immigration with Rizoli. Protesters immediately begin to swarm Rizoli, several without knowing who he is or what he is representing, verbally accosting him. This is all fine, and legitimate in a protest. Protesters and counter-protesters are expected at any protest.

Next, city leaders step and others suggest to Rizoli that it is time for him to go. Being there was no official or lawful directive behind that statement, or it was not stated by anyone ‘in charge’, there is no issue with that either. However city officials or those involved with the government should recognize the right to assemble in public by protesters and counter-protesters equally.

Next, protesters suggest to Rizoli that he is at ‘our protest’, and this too is okay, though misguided, as protesters using their right to assemble should recognize that counter protesters have the right to protest as well, in a public setting, even at the same time.

When Rizoli stated he was recording and had a camera on him, those around him seemed upset to be on tape. There is no expectation of privacy in public. Audio and video recording, even without others knowledge is a protected first amendment right.

One protester gets in Rizoli’s face, blocking his movement with a sign, chanting ‘go away, no one wants you here’. This is okay as well. Its a good strategy, but had the shoe been on the other foot, lets call her Karen… Karen would have sought to have Rizoli arrested citing battery. Additionally, it’s a bit misguided that Karen believed that the first amendment that allows her to congregate in public and express her views in protest, only extends to those with her own views.

Rizoli attempts to speak to Councilor Janet Leombruno, and she expresses that she does not want to speak to him by walking away and only showing her back to him. The police then step in to protect the protesters, who actually were the ones causing the disturbance. The police rightfully state that Rizoli can be there.

City Councilors and other elected officials have the right to decide who to talk to, and who they want to listen to, in their life, in public and in private.

Right to redress government, is allowed via various means, in meetings during public participation, via letters, and emails written, by voice mails. If you send a message via any prescribed channels, there is a requirement that the elected leader reads it or listens to it. Yelling at them demanding that it is your right to be heard, is not a right or guarantee.

Rizoli gets frustrated, raises his voice, and is told to stop yelling by the police who now are dogging him, and will not leave his side. When Karen yells at top of her lungs, ‘she doesn’t want to talk to you right now, sir, hello, do you speak English’, and the police do not ask her to quiet down. This is selective policing and is discriminatory.

If the city officials wanted to be left alone, or wanted this to be a one sided protest, they should have held this event in a non-public space. At the end of the video, Rizoli comments to the police that you can’t even go to meetings and talk, that they cut you off., It seems that he was right.

Watch the video below. The video itself was created by Rizoli and we are not responsible for the content or any editing that exists.