Bangor PL Lets 'Occupy' Protesters Camp on Library Property
For now, First Amendment rights take precedence over other concerns about Occupy Bangor. Stephen King's wife among trustees voting not to remove protesters. By Michael Kelley Nov 8, 2011The Bangor Public Library has had to walk a fine line as it deals with an encampment of Occupy Bangor protesters on the library's property, but for now the protesters' First Amendment rights are governing the library's response --- a decision applauded by the writer Stephen King and his wife, Tabitha, who is a library trustee.
Although the library has not invited the protesters to camp out or given them permission to stake their tents on the library's grounds, the library's trustees voted 6-2 on November 1 to take no action against the protesters.
"The library, as a limited public forum, does believe in the First Amendment rights to free assembly and freedom of speech," said Barbara McDade, the library's director. "We are trying to be a good library and be on neither side. I really want people who are using the library to know that it's not that we are supporting Occupy Bangor but that we are supporting their right to voice their opinion and their right to assemble," she said.
The library is located next to Pierce Park, a city park that by ordinance closes at 10 p.m. each night. The neighboring library's grounds, however, are accessible 24 hours a day, and the library's WiFi can also be accessed from outside the building. So, the protesters gravitate to the library's property once the park is closed and they stake out about 10 tents.
Occupy Bangor, which started up October 29, is part of the national Occupy Wall Street movement, which has spurred protests across the country against the concentration of wealth.
"We have chosen not to remove them," said Norman Minsky, the president of the library trustees and a lawyer. "We have always had the right to maintain order and safety on the library property and should there be any disturbance to customers or among the protesters we have the right to remove them," he said.
But for now the protesters have given no cause for such action, and the library will only revisit the issue if necessary.
"This group seems to be very cooperative if we ask them to do something, but there is concern if there is a different group that wants to come and do the same thing whether it will be as easy," said McDade. "There also are liability issues --- what if there is a heavy snow and a limb falls on a tent? There are all kinds of issues," she said.
The appeal to the First Amendment, however, has drawn a mostly positive response from the community.
"We have had a number of emails and letters and over 90 percent are supportive, and we also have received three donations as a result," said Minsky. "The negative aspect has been exceedingly small," he said.
Tabitha King, the wife of the writer Stephen King, is a library trustee, and she and her husband took out a full page ad in the Bangor Daily News which contained only the text of the First Amendment after the trustees' vote.
But the minority who are not happy about the decision are very displeased.
"We have had people upset at our stance and they feel it looks like a slum," McDade said. "It amazes me how the people who are upset how deeply upset they are," she said.
A spokesperson for Occupy Bangor could not be reached for comment.
