Anti-performance ordinance hurts Colonial Quarter marketing

City Attorney ISABELLE CHRISTINE LOPEZ admitted April 21, 2016 -- in response to concerns expressed by HARB member Antoinette Wallace -- that the University of Florida's Colonial Quarter Museum is forbidden by law to have in-character historic re-enactors speak to St. George Street visitors because it would violate St. Augustine ordinances banning performances -- it would be a crime! Play the tape (Item 8B).

It's time for the anti-artist ordinance to be repealed. Now. Not only has it banned painting, drawing, singing or music from our streets, which Mayor Nancy Shaver says are "not lively." It has hogtied multi-million dollar efforts to promote living history in the Colonial Quarter. UF and PAT CROCE should file amicus curiae briefs in the case of Bruce Kevin Bates, et al. v. City of St. Augustine, supporting their First Amendment rights to have costumed historic re-enactors engage in tourists and invite them to share our 451 years of history.