Why did a Simon Mall stop July 4th Tax Protest in Atlanta?

Updated on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 4:22PM by Kay B. Day, Editor

Tax Day Tea Party in Washington, D. C.; screenshot.The Atlanta Tea Party Protest organizers were shocked to learn a big event scheduled for July 4 in Atlanta would be prohibited. According to a news release at the ATP website, “The Atlanta Tea Party was forced to cancel its Independence Day celebration in Gwinnett, after losing its location due to the objection of Gwinnett Place Mall (a Simon company.) The Tea Party had been scheduled to take place in the parking lot of the old Macy's building at Gwinnett Place since March.”

Ironically the protest would have been held on private property. Julianne Thompson, event co-organizer, said, "The old Macy's building is on private property, and not owned by Simon Malls, however the mall manager asked the property owner and I to come in the office on Thursday of this week, and told us Simon does not want political events on its property. They were also concerned about the fact we were using the term ‘protest.’ Although the event was on private property, the mall was able to assert authority on the matter due to reciprocal property easement agreements."

If it sounds fishy to you, it should. Hat tip goes to Jason Lee at American Thinker for airing this in the Blogosphere.

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