The Inaugural Parade has seen more than its fair share of controversy over the last few years. In 2001, a few protesters scuffled with police, resulting in six arrests. In 2005, D.C. police were accused by the ACLU of making false arrests and indiscriminately using pepper spray during the inauguration festivities. This past March, a federal court ruled that the park service had violated the First Amendment by preventing war protesters from getting near the parade. So news over the weekend that the National Park Service has proposed new rules about where the public can be during the parade come as no surprise.

To comply with the federal ruling, the park service says it plans to expand the amount of space protesters may have access to along Pennsylvania Avenue during the 2009 inauguration. Although the math seems a little fuzzy:

Under the proposed change, organizers will control 13 percent of Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Park. About 70 percent will be for the public and demonstrators, regardless of their views on a particular administration.

We guess the other 17 percent is for law enforcement? Predictably, the folks from ANSWER aren’t happy with the proposal, but it’s hard to imagine a scenario they would be happy with. In the Post’s story, they argue that Pennsylvania Avenue should be 100 percent open to the public during the parade. What do you think?

Photo by His Noodly Appendage