Tea Party organizers in Richmond are left wondering why they were charged $10,000 to rally while the city is allowing the Marxist Occupy protesters to use the same space for free for weeks now.

The political organization is sending the city an invoice for the charges incurred for three rallies held in Kanawha Plaza over the past three years. The Occupy protesters have been camped in the plaza since Oct. 15.

Richmond Tea Party spokeswoman Colleen Owens says it’s not fair that her group had to pay fees for permits, portable toilets, police presence and emergency personnel. The group also had to purchase a $1 million insurance policy.

Tea party groups across the nation have raised similar concerns since the protests spread from New York earlier this month.

Indeed, it’s odd that government made sure it got its money from the Tea Partiers, but those filthy and violent freaks who have camped out in the same space for weeks? They get a free ride. Why is that? Perhaps because these cowardly officials know the Tea Partiers were peaceful while the Occupy protesters have shown their willingness to get violent when the law is enforced.