Boston changes picketing law after weeks of protest outside home of Mayor Michelle Wu over city vaccine manda - MassLive.com
The city of Boston is poised to place controversial restrictions on picketing in response to weeks of protest outside the home of Mayor Michelle Wu over her COVID-19 vaccine mandate for city employees.
By a 9-4 vote Wednesday, the Boston City Council limited picketing in residential areas to the hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The new ordinance, originally proposed by Wu, comes amidst continued protests in her Roslindale neighborhood from picketers set against the city’s mandate that public employees receive the COVID vaccine.
While Wu has said the protests at her home constitute harassment, the protestors and others say the measure would limit First Amendment rights.
City Councilor Frank Baker, who opposed the ordinance, said the measure was “totally wrong” and that it was only in response to protests at Wu’s home.
“Now because this is happening to one person, we’re going to change all the rules,” Baker said, according to the Boston Globe. “We’re edging in on First Amendment here. We’re edging in on the right of free speech.”
“Boston has a strong legacy of activism, and it’s important to uphold and protect the ability to speak out and advocate fiercely to keep our democracy strong,” Wu said when she filed the ordinance in early March. “But in a moment of divided national politics, we can’t normalize the harassment and hate spilling over into our communities. Boston must model not only bold, urgent policies, but also inclusive, empowering politics.”
The ordinance defines targeted residential picketing as “picketing, protesting or demonstrating, with or without signs, towards one or more occupants of a particular residence.” Picketing between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. is prohibited and is punishable by fine, the city council said.
“This ordinance balances the needs of our residents to have an expectation of privacy and peace in their homes in the early morning hours with the right to protest,” said Councilor Ricardo Arroyo, who voted in favor of the measure. “It is narrowly tailored with reasonable limitations on time, place, and manner of speech while being content neutral. This ordinance would allow for all picketing, even targeted residential picketing, for twelve hours of the day.”
This ordinance would protect any targeted residence, not just elected officials’ homes, the city said, additionally noting that the Supreme Court upheld a local ordinance in Wisconsin created after protesters targeted doctors who performed abortions by picketing outside their homes repeatedly.
Once signed by Wu, the measure will take effect.
After holding a public hearing, the ordinance was approved by city councilors Ricardo Arroyo, Kenzie Bok, Liz Breadon, Lydia Edwards, Tania Fernandes Anderson, Michael Flaherty, Ed Flynn, Ruthzee Louijeune and Brian Worrell.
source: https://www.masslive.com/boston/2022/03/boston-changes-picketing-law-after-weeks-of-protest-outside-home-of-mayor-michelle-wu-over-city-vaccine-mandate.html
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