White House guidebook on protesters

WASHINGTON — The White House evidently leaves little to chance when it comes to protests within eyesight of the president. As in, it doesn't want any.

A White House manual that came to light recently gives presidential advance employees extensive instructions in the art of "deterring potential protesters" from President Bush's public appearances.

Among other things, any event must be open only to those with tickets tightly controlled by organizers. Those entering must be screened in case they are hiding secret signs. Any anti-Bush demonstrators who get in anyway should be shouted down by "rally squads" stationed in strategic locations. If that doesn't work, the protesters should be thrown out.

That does not mean White House officials are against dissent; they just don't want the president to see it. In fact, the manual outlines a specific system for those who disagree with the president to voice their views.

Local police aid

It directs the White House advance employees to ask local police "to designate a protest area where demonstrators can be placed, preferably not in the view of the event site or motorcade route."

The "Presidential Advance Manual," dated October 2002 with the stamp "Sensitive — Do Not Copy," was released under subpoena to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) as part of a lawsuit filed on behalf of two people arrested for refusing to cover their anti-Bush T-shirts at a Fourth of July speech at the West Virginia State Capitol in 2004.

The techniques have become familiar over the 6 ½ years of Bush's presidency, but the manual makes it clear how the anti-protest policy is organized.

The lawsuit was filed by Jeffery and Nicole Rank, who attended the Charleston event wearing shirts with the word "Bush" crossed out on the front; the back of his shirt said "Regime Change Starts at Home," while hers said "Love America, Hate Bush."

Members of the White House event staff told them to cover their shirts or leave, according to the lawsuit. They refused and were arrested, handcuffed and jailed briefly before local authorities dropped the charges and apologized. The federal government settled the First Amendment case last week for $80,000, but with no admission of wrongdoing.

ACLU comment

The manual demonstrates "that the White House has a policy of excluding and/or attempting to squelch dissenting viewpoints from presidential events," ACLU lawyer Jonathan Miller said.

White House spokesman Tony Fratto said he could not discuss the manual because it is an issue in two other lawsuits.

The manual offers advance workers and volunteers who help set up presidential events guidelines for assembling crowds. Those invited into a VIP section, for instance, must be "extremely supportive of the administration," it says.

While the Secret Service screens audiences only for possible threats, the manual says, volunteers should examine people before they reach security checkpoints and look out for signs.

To counter demonstrators who do get in, advance teams are told to create "rally squads" of volunteers with large handheld signs, placards or banners with "favorable messages." Squads should be placed in strategic locations and "at least one squad should be 'roaming' throughout the perimeter of the event to look for potential problems," the manual says.

The manual adds that "as a last resort, security should remove the demonstrators from the event site."

Advance teams are advised not to worry if protesters are not visible to the president or cameras: "If it is determined that the media will not see or hear them and that they pose no potential disruption to the event, they can be ignored.

"On the other hand, if the group is carrying signs, trying to shout down the president, or has the potential to cause some greater disruption to the event, action needs to be taken immediately to minimize the demonstrator's effect."

The manual adds in bold type: "Remember — avoid physical contact with demonstrators!" It also suggests that the advance team should "decide if the solution would cause more negative publicity than if the demonstrators were simply left alone."

The team at the West Virginia event may have missed that line.