Bismarck Police advised earlier today of a public demonstration scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM this afternoon, August 18, on the south edge of the Capital Grounds along Boulevard Avenue on the public sidewalk in the area between 4th Street and 6th.

An organizer of a demonstration or picketing event is not required by City Ordinance to obtain a permit from the City. City Ordinance requires the organizer of a demonstration of a group of 30 or more individuals to provide notice of the intent to picket or demonstrate and to provide certain information regarding the planned event to the chief of police at least 48 hours before the event is to begin. Organizers of today’s demonstration did provide appropriate notice and information.

Bismarck City Ordinance provides that demonstrations and picketing may be conducted on public sidewalks in the city, insofar as they don’t disrupt, block, obstruct, or interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic.

It is the role of the Bismarck Police Department to maintain the safety of the citizens and to maintain the free passage of the streets and public sidewalks, unless closure is otherwise allowed, and to work with the persons comprising the group or event to have a safe and orderly event.