On Friday, a small group of political protesters carrying signs and quietly chanting were marching back and forth the full length of the public sidewalk in front of Foods. Foods encompasses the entire block by the public sidewalk with entry and exit doors located directly in the center of the store building, and with privately owned parking in the back of the store. Sometimes the protesters were at either of the two ends of the sidewalk in front of Foods, and thus, not directly in front of the entry/exit door doors to Foods. The protesters did not walk on or enter the private parking lot owned by Foods; the protesters did not stop and congregate in front of the store or its entry/exit doors at any time. The management of Foods believed that the protestors were impeding the ingress and egress of customers into Foods end therefore interfering with business. Foods called the police to have the protesters removed.
The police did not arrest the protesters but did require them to stop marching and move away from Foods.
Assignment
A. The protesters want to sue the City for violation of their constitutional rights. Specifically, what legal claim could the protesters sue for and why?
B. Could the protesters be convicted of trespassing against Foods? Why or why not?