| "As long as it is done peacefully and with willingness to engage in open dialogue. " No, it absolutely does not. You have absolutely not right to suppress other people with your ideology for anything other than a moment. "Without it, the democracy crumbles" This is completely false. There is no such thing as 'peaceful' closure of public transit, it's only authoritarian, frankly. There are exactly 0 examples of 'democracy crumbling' because protestors were not able to stop public transit and public roads. In very certain terms - you don't have the right to close public spaces, to stop public activity with your political ideology. It's completely illegal if 1 of you do it, it doesn't make it legal if 1000 of you do it, though you might get away with just a fine or whatever if you 'take it down' soon enough. It's helpful to think of a cause that you don't support, or are perhaps against, even think of as 'immoral' and consider how you'd react if they shut your office down every few days. |
I don't have to think about it. My office has been shutdown on multiple occasions by causes I don't agree with (we are located by federal land). In fact, it happens at least once a year. Not once have I wanted the protesters to be prevented or forced to disperse. Is it an inconvenience? Yes. But it is their right and a right that is critical to democracy.