UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Concepcion Picciotto, et. al.    )         
                   Plaintiffs,   )
                                 )       
     v.                          )   Civil Action No. 87-3290-LFO
                                 )                 
Donald Hodel, et. al.            )            
                  Defendants.    )

MEMORANDUM

At a hearing on December 7, 1987, on plaintiffs' application for a temporary restraining order, two of the plaintiffs made arguments and statements. Defendants presented the testimony of Steven J. Harrison of the U.S. Secret Service and Robert O. Langston of the U.S. Park Police. They testified, among other things, that in their opinion removal of the public from the South End of Lafayette Park was required as a security measure during visits by Mikhail Gorbachev to the White House. They, as well as the Assistant United States Attorney, represented that the defendants could and would instruct the officers in the vacated area of Lafayette Park to use their best efforts to protect the signs maintained by plaintiffs throughout the periods during which plaintiffs are removed from the signs' vicinity. Plaintiffs themselves undertook peaceably to remove any possessions or paraphernalia of theirs, other than the stationary signs, from the restricted area when requested

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to do so by the U.S. Park Police during the period of the notice.

Accordingly, in reliance on defendants representations, and recognizing the authority granted to defendants by 18 U.S.C. section 3056(a)(5) as well as 36 C.F.R. section 1.5, the Court denied the application for a temporary restraining order from the bench (a transcript of that order is attached.

Date: December 9, 1983

(signed) Louis F. Oberdorfer
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT JUDGE

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Park Service Notice