I'm not familiar with the charge of "dancing in the street", but I can think of a whole bunch of problems with that particular activity.
Generally if one is going to have a party in the street, it's a good idea to get a permit and some barricades?
The law (as cut and pasted from the Municode site):
427.240. Dancing on streets. No person shall dance or engage or participate in any dancing upon any public street or highway in the city; and no person shall provide for, promote or conduct any dance or dancing upon any public street or highway in the city, except at a block party. (Code 1960, As Amend., � 583.340)
The City of Minneapolis has many such laws on the books. For example: it's against the law to wear a hat in a theater.
385.70. Hats, conduct in theaters. No person, during the performance of the program in a theater, auditorium or place of amusement, shall wear any headgear or conduct himself in a manner which interferes unreasonably with the view or enjoyment of another person of the stage or screen or place of activity, nor shall any person operating such theater, auditorium or place of amusement permit the wearing of any such headgear or permit such conduct. (Code 1960, As Amend., � 870.040)
It's illegal to write a Sven and Ole joke on a piece of paper and share said paper without including your name and mailing address:
385.340. Papers denouncing individuals or groups. (a) No person shall print, publish, distribute or cause to be printed, published or distributed, by any means, or in any manner whatsoever, any handbill, dodger, circular, booklet, pamphlet, leaflet, card, sticker, periodical literature or paper which tends to expose any individual or any racial or religious group to hatred, contempt, ridicule or obloquy, unless the same has clearly printed or written thereon:
(1) The true name and post-office address of the person, firm, partnership, corporation or organization causing the same to be printed, published and distributed; and
(2) If such name is that of a firm, corporation or organization, the name and post-office address of the individual acting in its behalf in causing such printing, publication or distribution.
(b) This section shall not be construed to relieve the author, distributor or person who causes to be printed, published or distributed any of the matter herein set forth, from any civil or criminal liability imposed by law or ordinance. (Code 1960, As Amend., �� 936.010, 936.020)
We have lots of questionable laws here in Minneapolis. We have numerous others that would seem to be duplicative of State or Federal laws.
It is my supposition that most of our council members and legislators at all levels of government haven't read even 50% of the laws on the books. If they actually took the time to read the existing laws they would scarcely have time to pass new ones.
The Minneapolis Ordinance prohibiting dancing seems to imply that dancing is neither a Constitutionally protected form of expression nor a valid form of locomotion. But dancing has been at the core of many, many high level cases and was usually found to be a protected form of expression (First Amendment). The right to use the public roadways is similarly strong, and cannot be abridged simply because one happens to move along (or about) in a rhythmic fashion. The uniform vehicle code already has provisions for impeding the normal flow of traffic-- which should suffice.
Compare the dancing ordinance to the one regulating game-playing in the street. It's an odd set of laws that restricts dancing more than it restricts flying kites.
427.180. Games and fires in streets. No person shall, within the limits of any street or highway of the city, play at any game of ball or fly any kite or balloon, or throw any stone or missile, or engage in any other game, amusement or exercise interfering with the free, safe and convenient use of such street or highway, by any person traveling or passing along the same; nor shall any person build or cause to be made any fire within the limits of any street or alley of the city. (Code 1960, As Amend., � 583.230)
-Michael C. Libby
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