Station Casinos has said it wouldn't stand in the way of a secret-ballot vote overseen by the National Labor Relations Board. The union this week had sought a permit to stage a protest in front of Palace Station. Las Vegas police denied the group's request to gather in the street, Culinary officials said, but the union went ahead with the demonstration anyway. In a statement released Thursday, union Secretary-Treasurer Geoconda Arguello-Kline called the permit denial "a blatant attempt to suppress the voice of the people," and added, "We will exercise our constitutional right to free speech and peaceful assembly as we have been doing for 80 years." The union, in the release, accused the Metropolitan Police Department of denying the request because of Station Casinos' campaign contributions made to Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo and because of his relationship with Bill Young, the former sheriff who now works for the casino company.