by Rod Williams. 11/7/2020 - All gathering of over 25 people are banned in Nashville without prior approval. However, the city has never enforced this rule against Black Lives Matter protestors. BLM protestors have marched again and again in marches drawing thousands. The city has enforced the rule against churches and concerts and private house parties and any number of other events.
I do not think, they have enforced it against other political gatherings either, however. I attended a big Trump Truck rally about a week off Music Valley Drive at the mall behind Nashville Palace and hundreds were in attendance. There was no effort to stop the gathering and I am quite sure the organizers did not get an exemption to exceed the 25 person limit. The maximum number who may attend an event even with prior approval is 500. The Trump Truck rally would have violated that limit.
On the night of the last presidential debate, there was a debate watch party at Rockettown. I did not attend the event but hundreds were in attendance it is reported.
On Saturday of this week there was a Stop the Steal rally at the State Capitol. It exceeded 25 people. I was not there, but apparently the event drew several hundred people. I am sure there was no permit for exceeding the 25 person limit. There would be no reason to grant such an exemption. Video of the event do not show social distancing.
Surrounding counties have no such limit and I have attended several events in Williamson County over the last few months. The most recent was an election night watch part at a Hilton in the Cool Springs area. While the city of Nashville has not been prosecuting the organizers of the political gatherings, they do enforce it against the commercial venues in Nashville and they will not violate the rule so political gatherings that require renting a venue are not occurring in Nashville. How Rockettown was able to rent out their facility for the debate watch party, I don't know.
On October 11, an evangelist from California by the name of Sean Feucht held a rally in the park in front of the Metro Courthouse. The event was promoted as a "worship rally." The event drew thousands. The city threatened to prosecute. The Metro Health Department investigated the event, have concluded their investigation and announced they would not be pressing charges.
I am pleased with this outcome. I am also pleased that the city has chosen to treat conservatives groups the same as BLM protest. However, it seems unfair that the city allows a super big Trump Truck rally, Black Lives Matter protest, and a "worship rally" attended by thousands yet weddings are banned, and funerals are banned, and church services are banned. Why should the rule not be enforced against political gatherings, yet when a family loses a loved one, the family cannot have a funeral.
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