The City of Asheville has changed its law that set fees for public demonstrations following a challenge by an immigrant rights group that was charged a $1,500 city fee for demonstrating on public streets.
The city also said it would return $1,300 of the charges as part of an out-of-court settlement, officials announced Aug. 22.

Under the old law, the city assessed fees for demonstrations based on the type of demonstration and whether officials believed the event was likely to draw counter-protestors and cause violence.

Similar laws have been ruled unconstitutional across the country because they make certain types of speech more expensive than others, legal experts said.

The rally by the We Are One America Committee drew between 3,000 and 3,500 demonstrators calling for immigration reform on May 1, 2006.

Organizers said they were told of the $1,500 fee near the start of the march.

The group sued the city in federal court last year, arguing that the fee was discriminatory because it was based on the groupís message.

City Attorney Bob Oast said that City Council agreed to settle the lawsuit because it needed to update the cityís parade ordinance.