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Judge Says Costumed Characters Can Perform on Hollywood Blvd.
Photo by monkeytime | brachiator via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
The colorful self-organized cast of characters who spend their days interacting with passersby in front of tourist hot spots on Hollywood Boulevard have a U.S. District Judge on their side, according to KTLA.
Yesterday "Federal Judge Dean Pregerson issued a preliminary injunction [...] blocking what he calls selective enforcement by the LAPD against street performers." Pregerson says that the characters are protected by the First Amendment.
A group of the performers filed a suit against the city, alleging harassment by the LAPD. In September they held a small protest at City Hall to call attention to their plight and how the police's citations and booting them off the Boulevard is affecting their ability to make an income.
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Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
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