PHILLY PAPERS, POLICE AT ODDS OVER RACKS

By: Staff reports Dispute Comes As City Prepares For Republican Convention



Philadelphia papers are trying to prevent police from removing 200
newsracks from the city's sidewalks during the Republican National
Convention, the Association of
Alternative Newsweeklies (AAN) reports.


The police have expressed concern that newsracks might be used to smash
windows or to hide bombs. After recent demonstrations in Seattle and
Washington, D.C., Philadelphia police are preparing for violent
protests on their own turf.


Police Inspector Jim Tiano told AAN that lawyers from both sides are
meeting this week to discuss the removal of several hundred of Center
City's newsracks.


Jim McDonald, publisher of Philadelphia Weekly, says that
publishers are willing to work with the city during the convention,
scheduled to begin July 31. But they are not willing to remove racks
from the streets, claiming it is a violation of their First Amendment
rights.