Artist Arrested For Peddling At Inner Harbor Sparks Free Speech Debate
BALTIMORE (WJZ)— The arrest of an artist at the Inner Harbor is sparking a debate about free speech.
Meghan McCorkell has more.
Mark Chase was arrested after he set up his spray paint art display at the Inner Harbor. Police told him he needs a permit. But he's battled this before.
Chase uses spray paint to make his masterpieces. But this weekend, his art landed him behind bars.
In a home video, you can see police arresting Chase because he didn't have a permit to perform at the Inner Harbor.
"I told them it's my First Amendment right to be here," he said. "This is my form of expression. This is a public forum."
A judge recently ruled it unconstitutional for Ocean City to force Chase to get a permit.
"You shouldn't have to have prior approval from the government to express yourself in a public forum," Chase said.
While the cases differ, Chase's arrest shines the spotlight on an issue brought up in a 2003 civil suit filed by the ACLU.
That suit was filed after protesters were arrested at the Inner Harbor.
David Rocah with the ACLU says artists and protesters shouldn't need a permit.
"Normally in a society that protects free speech you shouldn't need a permission slip from the government to engage in free speech," Rocah said.
A settlement in the ACLU suit could help define the rules.
A police spokesman tells WJZ's media partner, the Baltimore Sun, "I think that once that is settled, we will have firm rules in place and things will be a lot clearer. Until that gets settled, we will continue to have situations like this."
City officials are nearing a settlement with the ACLU on that lawsuit.
Chase says he'll continue painting at the Inner Harbor-- even if it means more time behind bars. He spent 13 hours in Central Booking, charged with peddling without a permit.
