The problem is that this allows a neat loophole in which governments can sidestep any inconvenient civil rights obligations by privatisation of otherwise public

The problem is that this allows a neat loophole in which governments can sidestep any inconvenient civil rights obligations by privatisation of otherwise public space. For a real-life example, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paternoster_Square#Occupy_London_and_public_space_controversy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paternoster_Square#Occupy_Lond....