EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — A Eugene law that’s been on the books since 2008 is drawing fire from Occupy Eugene protesters and civil-liberties advocates who say it unfairly bans people from downtown before they are convicted.
The Eugene Register-Guard reports (http://bit.ly/y0HIgd ) the city’s exclusion law is up for renewal on Tuesday. Supporters and critics are planning to give the city council an earful.
The council in 2010 renewed the ordinance, voting 5-3 to keep it in place until April. This time, councilors will consider extending it until 2014.
Before the law, downtown business owners said the area had become a criminal haven.
Under the law, police can ask a judge to temporarily ban from the city center people accused — but not yet convicted — of certain crimes.
