Jefferson revises demonstration rules
BY ALLEN LUTON
The Jefferson City Council voted unanimously on Monday night to revise the town’s ordinance regarding public demonstrations, a move that comes amid complaints about graphic anti-abortion protests that have taken place in the downtown area, causing a stir in recent months.
The revisions will allow the town to regulate the demonstrations more strictly than in the past and they should help the police department plan ahead in order to provide security during the gatherings. In addition, they are designed help avoid potential conflicts from erupting between groups that may want to use public property at the same time.
Under the revised ordinance, demonstrators must apply for a permit from the city at least five days in advance in order to assemble on public property. In addition, demonstrations will only be allowed on Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. Those who fail to comply with the ordinance could face a fine of as much as $500 and up to six months in jail.
The changes come following recent complaints regarding graphic anti-abortion protests staged by Jefferson Lighthouse Baptist Church. Regular demonstrations by church members in downtown Jefferson have caused controversy. The members have been displaying signs with anti-abortion phrases and slogans, and handing out pamphlets. However, in recent months the demonstrations have become more controversial as church members have started holding up large photographs with graphic images of what they say are aborted fetuses, some of which are near full-term, with crushed heads and dismembered body parts.
The images have been disturbing to motorists driving by the demonstrations and some have called the city to complain about their graphic nature. Most of those upset have been parents who do not want their children viewing the unsettling pictures as they drive through the city.
Messages left for the Jefferson Lighthouse pastor Kevin Whitman regarding the ordinance changes were not returned as of press time.
The church’s anti-abortion gatherings have caused Jefferson police chief Joseph Wirthman to worry about the potential for a physical confrontation escalating on site, as motorists can at times become very angry at the demonstrators. The police chief had hoped the new rules would force demonstrators to hire security officers, if city officials felt it was necessary, but that requirement was not among the ordinance changes approved on Monday night.
The new changes will not only apply to demonstrations, but moreover to all public events, including fund-raising gatherings, according to city manager John Ward.
“It just sets up a process of what exactly is required and the time frame for notification,” he said. “Since we’re not charging for security and since we do have to factor in any kind of safety or security issues.”
Ward said that the ordinance revisions are not intended to discriminate against any one group, but rather to help the town insure that it has proper police protection at all times throughout the city limits.
A registration process for demonstrations was part of the town’s old policy, however there was previously no fine or punishment for those who failed to comply. Under the new ordinance, a permit requirement should give the police department ample notification so that security can be in place when it is deemed necessary.
“With a growing population and with our new census bureau numbers we are experiencing more and more groups that want to utilize the public sidewalks and the intersections of the downtown central business district,” Ward said. “Including, ranging all the way from the non-profits, such as the girls scouts, to church groups that would like to express their messages.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, Ward said that one non-profit group had contacted the city regarding a permit application for a charity doughnut sale on Aug. 4, however no other calls had been received regarding application for a demonstration permit.
The possibility of multiple groups wanting to use the same public property at the same time, was one main consideration when coming up with the revisions to the ordinance, the city manager added.
“We’re not looking to restrict anyone from using any of the space and we’re going to remain content neutral, we’re not trying to discourage any of the messages,” Ward explained. “But, what we are doing is we’re trying to allocate the use of the space so that there’s not conflicts between multiple people trying to be down in the same area in such a restricted, defined area.”
