Florida Civil Rights Association Helping Taxi Driver Fight Ticket

The Florida Civil Rights Association believes a taxi driver's first amendment rights were violated when he was ticketed during a protest. Channel Nine has been following the protests against Orlando's taxi ordinance since the first one in April.

The taxi driver ticketed during the second protest in June will be in court in Orlando on Wednesday for a hearing.

"I'm getting handcuffed. I'm getting arrested. I'm making a right turn which is normal" said taxi driver Fritz Acquizza as he was being put into the back of an orlando police cruiser.

When Acquizza shows up for traffic court to fight a ticket he got two weeks ago, he'll have the FCRA to defend him. Police say he broke the law when he didn't yield to a pedestrian and then refused to sign the ticket.

Acquizza and around 100 other cab drivers held a day-long strike against the city, Orlando International Airport and Mears Transportation, which owns most of the major cab companies in town. They were outside City Hall protesting a taxi ordinance that they say is unfair.

"They treat taxi drivers like nothing," said Acquizza.

Acquizza was the only person arrested during the peaceful demonstration. An attorney with the FCRA thinks police stopped Acquizza simply because he drove around city hall to take part in a demonstration that criticized an ordinance regulated and enforced by the Orlando Police Department.

Acquizza was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday to fight the ticket.