06/03/2026
LIZ BOYLE TELLS COUNTY BOARD SUPPORT 1ST AMMENDMENT
County Board of Commissioners- Tuesday June 2, 2026-
Good morning, Commissioners Mast, Cutsinger, Smith, Sheriff Knight and Dr. Neunder, and thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is Liz Boyle, and I live in Venice. I have lived in Sarasota full-time for over 25 years. I’m here today because my friends and I have experienced repeated interference from Sarasota County employees while we are exercising our First Amendment rights on the Legacy Trail pedestrian bridge in Venice.
We are part of a national, peaceful movement called Visibility Brigade –Rush-Hour Resistance. Nearly every state has at least one
active bridge brigade. Every Friday morning from 8 to 9am, people
across this country — from Chicago to Los Angeles, from Bangor,
Maine to Houston, Texas — gather on pedestrian bridges to express their political beliefs. In cities such as Holyoke; Arlington, Jackson; Kalamazoo, St. Paul, St. Louis; Buffalo and Erie, we stand with American flags and with our mostly homemade signs to share our views on national issues, including our belief that President Trump should immediately be removed from office because we see him as a clear and present danger to the country. ---Another local group does the same at the Legacy Trail bridge at Clark and McIntosh Roads in Sarasota. These gatherings are brief, peaceful, and entirely non-destructive. We do not block traffic, we do not damage property, and we are consistently polite to everyone who passes by. Despite this, Sarasota County employees have approached us multiple times, telling us they have received quote-unquote “complaints.” We understand that complaints happen. But what concerns us is that the interactions have gone beyond simple notification. On several occasions, employees have made comments about the content of our signs telling us what they think we “should” be doing instead — including telling us we
should “help the homeless,” -----as if we all haven’t already spent
decades supporting policies and programs that help people in need.
We are taxpayers. And we are peacefully expressing our views in a
public space. What we are doing is protected by the First Amendment. What we are not doing is causing harm, creating hazards, or violating any ordinance.
When county employees repeatedly approach us, question our presence, or comment on the substance of our speech, it creates a chilling effect. It feels like an attempt to discourage or deter us because someone disagrees with our message. That is not the role of government employees, and it is not consistent with constitutional protections.
We want to continue our peaceful demonstrations without being hassled or pressured. We want county staff to understand that their personal opinions about our signs are irrelevant, and that their role is to uphold the rights of all residents equally — regardless of viewpoint. Commissioners, we are asking for your help to ensure that Sarasota County employees receive clear guidance:
that peaceful expressive activity on public property is protected,
that comments about the content of anyone’s speech are
inappropriate and can be perceived as intimidation.
We love this community. We love this country. We respect the Rule of Law. We simply want to exercise our rights without being intimidated by government employees. Thank you for your time and for all that each of you has done to improve this community over the years.
