Chattanooga is blessed with a beautiful riverfront and downtown and attracts many visitors who enjoy the many attractions, hotels and eateries in this area. Many Chattanooga area residents depend on the tourism industry in the riverfront area to provide a living for themselves and their families. This area is a frequent venue for popular events and draws tourists from around this region as well as visitors from across the nation.
The unlawful demonstration by the Hands Off propagandists, staged with mostly imported demonstrators, was clearly in violation of city ordinances and disruptive to the lawful visitors and business of Chattanooga's Riverfront District.
It's my understanding the organizers of this unlawful and disruptive event did not follow the requirement of seeking a Special Event Permit from the city of Chattanooga. Event organizers are required by law to file an application to host an event on public properties.
During the application process, promoters of an event are required to rent the venue from the city, meet with the traffic engineer to develop a traffic plan, meet with the Police Department events coordinator and staff of the Fire to develop a safety and security plan and to provide adequate notice to the public and businesses impacted by the event with anticipated attendance. If the promoters failed to fully comply with this required process, a theft against the city of Chattanooga, area businesses and residents was committed by the organizers of the Hands Off outbreak and participants.
To those who had the misfortune of visiting the Riverfront area during this unlawful gathering, I apologize. I apologize to the citizens and visitors who were deterred from enjoying their visit or travel. I apologize for the city of Chattanooga failing to remove the unlawful participants and protect the safety of the citizens caught in this unlawful gathering.
I hope your choice to return to visit this beautiful venue and our city will not be affected by this negative propaganda activity conducted by paid liberal activists from outside of our area.
Michael S. Glenn, Sr.
Soddy Daisy
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Mr. Glenn,
Don’t apologize for our city’s democracy in action. It’s interesting that so many are so quick to characterize views they don’t agree with as paid agitation. Diversity of opinion forged this country.
I personally would have been at the riverfront if I had known in advance (that’s what I get for deleting social media I suppose).
I consider myself conservative in most things; look up my past opinions in this newspaper if you doubt me. However, I see no evidence that President Trump is focused on anything but retribution and self-dealing; I applaud the protestors for doing something, anything, to register their discontent.
Charles McCullough