Leaders of an economic boycott against Cincinnati said lawsuits against them are a threat to free speech, and called upon citizens to pack a hearing before a Hamilton County common pleas judge on Monday.

        “The enemies of the boycott have decided to use lawsuits as a too l to crush the boycott,” said Nathaniel Livingston Jr., a boycott activist. “That is why we believe you have seen lawsuits filed by the Cincinnati Arts Association against the Coalition for a Just Cincinnati, and why you have seen lawsuits filed against the Cincinnati Black United Front.”

        The arts association sued the coalition in March, claiming that the boycott group was interfering wit h the association's ability to do business by pressuring artists to break contracts with its venues.

        Attorneys for the coalition have filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed against them by the arts association and will be presenting arguments to Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Thomas Nurre Monday afternoon.

        Steve Loftin, president and executive director of the arts association, couldn't be reached Saturday afternoon.

        Representatives from both the coalition and the Cincinnati Black United Front plan to travel Monday to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference annual convention in Cleveland, in part to recruit national civil rights attorneys to represent them, said Juleana Frierson, Cincinnati Black United Front chief of staff.

        “There is national legal repre sentation willing to come to Cincinnati to help both the coalition and the Cincinnati Black United Front because national civil rights leaders are determined that Cincinnati will not set a legal precedent that civil rights groups can be silenced and intimidated by lawsuits,” said the Rev. Damon Lynch III.

        Ms. Frierson said organizers of the economic boycott also would be honored at the annu al convention.

        “Rev. Damon Lynch III will be receiving the SCLC's highest award for non-violent protests,” said Ms. Frierson. “It is called the Rosa Parks Award. He is being recognized for the economic boycott being the proper response to ... police brutality. That award will be presented by Dr. Martin Luther King III.”

        The Rev. Mr. Lynch said the award was to everyone who helped organize the boycott. He declined to answer other questions, saying a formal announcement would be made at a later date.

        Representatives at the SCLC headquarters in Atlanta would not confirm Saturday that the Rev. Mr. Lynch III or other leaders of the boycott were receiving an award. All questions were referred to the group's spokeswoman, Sheriee Bowman, who didn't return phone messages left Saturday afternoon.

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