Memphis Beale Street Patrons Win a Victory Over Police

Memphis bar patrons win a round in court.

A federal judge has ruled that city police can no longer clear crowds from Memphis' Beale Street Entertainment District unless public safety requires it.

The Commercial Appeal reports that since at least 2007, police had gone down the street, oftentimes in the early morning hours of weekends, to clear people off the road or push them into nightclubs.

U.S. District Judge Jon McCalla has ruled that the practice is unlawful.

The case stems from a federal jury verdict in January that Memphis police employed the sweeps even when there was no safety threat, thereby violating people's right to use public places.

The city has the right to appeal the decision, but city attorney Herman Morris says the city has not decided what its next step will be.