North Dakota Democrats Hire Security

FARGO, N.D. (AP) - North Dakota Democrats have hired security

guards in response to a planned tea party demonstration Saturday

outside the Fargo hall where they'll be holding their state

convention.

The protest is planned to start at 1 p.m. Saturday. State

Democratic chairman Mark Schneider says the move is a precaution

and he's not expecting any disruptions.

Schneider says the protesters' exercise of their First Amendment

rights is fine as long as there's no violence and Democratic

convention delegates aren't prevented from doing their work.

Minot conservative blogger Rob Port has been promoting the

protest. He says Democrats may be "overreacting a little bit" by

hiring security, and he says the tea party protesters don't intend

to disrupt the Democratic convention.

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