Yep, that's right....You need a permit. Not for the person, or entity you are protesting, but to protect you, and others....
"Whether you're marching on city hall, holding a candlelight vigil, or rallying outside the statehouse or a private business, you should check your local permit ordinance before you put on your marching shoes and pull out the megaphone.
While regulations vary, here are some guidelines:
The government can't prohibit marches on public sidewalks or streets, or rallies in most public parks or plazas. But
it can often require a permit to regulate competing uses of the area and to ensure you respect reasonable time, place and manner restrictions.
You shouldn’t need a permit for demonstrations that don't "
realistically present serious traffic, safety, and competing-use concerns beyond those presented on a daily basis by ordinary use of the streets and sidewalks." If you hold a small rally in a public park or march on on the sidewalk and obey traffic laws, you generally won’t need a permit."
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"PRIVATE PROPERTY
Can I protest on private property?
As a rule, the First Amendment doesn't give you the right to engage in free-speech activities on private property unless you own or lease the property, or the owner has given you permission to use the property for speech. But you may canvass door-to-door in residential areas, unless the homeowner has put up a "no solicitors" sign."
www.aclunc.org/our-work/know-your-r...speech-protests-and-demonstrations-california
If this neighborhood had signs up that said "No soliciting", or neighbors felt like they couldn't move freely in their own neighborhood, then the protesters have a problem.
Gun owners DO need permits to exercise their rights....What are you talking about?