Photo by Brian Allen.

With about two weeks until the inauguration, the National Park Service is beginning to release permits for demonstrating on parts of the National Mall and other federal land in the District.

This comes after the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund threatened NPS with litigation for its “delay and refusal to grant or deny permits [which] is operating as a constructive denial and prior restraint on speech in violation of the First Amendment.”

More than a year ago, NPS created a permit for the Presidential Inaugural Committee, before it even knew who would be getting sworn in. The PIC then gets to decide which land it will use. When it gives up space, those permits get issued out to other groups on a first-come, first-serve basis. More than 30 groups have applied.

While this has been common practice for decades, it drew increased scrutiny this year because so many protest groups started vying for permits after the hotly contested election.

As recently as this week, the PIC had not released any of its permits for use by other groups. Many other planned demonstrations, like the Women’s March on Washington, made alternate arrangements after it became apparent that it’d be difficult to secure spots like the Lincoln Memorial.

On Thursday evening, NPS said that it would be issuing permits shortly, including for the Ellipse on the National Mall, for January 21.

The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund claimed victory, noting the announcement came hours after their threat of litigation. “It is shameful that the NPS stonewalled, and allowed the Trump PIC to stonewall, the ability of groups to obtain permits to exercise fundamental First Amendment rights until faced with legal action,” the group said in a statement.

NPS spokesperson Michael Litterst said in a statement that the PIC informed the agency on Thursday afternoon that it would not be using the Ellipse on January 21, leaving it open for another group.

“We look forward to making announcements in the coming days regarding additional permits that have been issued,” he said.