Charleston City Council members unanimously approved an emergency ordinance on Tuesday that bans protesting within 300 feet of funeral services, after the notorious Westboro Baptist Church announced plans to picket the funerals of victims of last week’s church shootings.
The City Council passed the 60-day prohibition at the urging of Charleston Police Chief Greg Mullen, who cited threats to protest the funeral services by “several groups,” though he did not explicitly mention Westboro, The Post and Courier reported.
Repeatedly using the hashtag, #GodSentTheShooter, Westboro urged Twitter supporters to “Get some signs and picket the funerals” of the nine victims gunned down last week at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church.
“We don’t want that to be disrupted by someone standing there creating a disturbance,” Chief Mullen said at a press conference. “So this ordinance will allow us to protect those families, to protect the dignity and the sacred level of that funeral that this community, and, I think, the world wants to see.”
Mayor Joe Riley said the ordinance gives a buffer to ensure funeral services would be conducted safely.
South Carolina Press Association lawyer Jay Bender said a portion of the ordinance may be unconstitutional.
The prohibition on picketing is constitutional, Mr. Bender told The Post and Courier, because it applies to everyone. But the prohibition on protest activities may not be constitutional because it is “content-based,” he said.
The council also approved a resolution that supports taking down the Confederate battle flag from the state House grounds, a local CBS affiliate reported.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.