First Amendment protects vendors' sales at city parks

By June Watanabe

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Sep 17, 2012

~~Question: At Kailua Beach on Sept. 8, I noticed a woman vendor with a table full of articles for sale on the grassy area beachside of the parking lot across from Buzz's. I commented that I thought all commercial activity was now banned at Kailua Beach, but she insisted that she had a permit from way back that allowed her to continue selling. Can you clarify what the ban is? If she was operating illegally, to whom do I address my concerns?
Answer: On Sept. 8, one "First Amendment group" had a permit from the city Department of Parks and Recreation to sell "message-bearing items and sanctified foods" at Kailua Beach Park, a parks official said.
~~

Question: At Kailua Beach on Sept. 8, I noticed a woman vendor with a table full of articles for sale on the grassy area beachside of the parking lot across from Buzz's. I commented that I thought all commercial activity was now banned at Kailua Beach, but she insisted that she had a permit from way back that allowed her to continue selling. Can you clarify what the ban is? If she was operating illegally, to whom do I address my concerns?

Answer: On Sept. 8, one "First Amendment group" had a permit from the city Department of Parks and Recreation to sell "message-bearing items and sanctified foods" at Kailua Beach Park, a parks official said. Login for more...