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Lafayette council weighs limits on protests near elementary school after safety complaints
Summary
City attorneys and police described constitutional limits on restricting speech but acknowledged safety concerns. Council asked staff for more data and increased patrols after residents and a crossing guard said protests near Lafayette Elementary distract drivers and pedestrians.
Lafayette City Council members debated whether and how to limit demonstrations near Lafayette Elementary School during a lengthy April 14 meeting, after residents and school staff said protesters standing at or near the school’s sidewalks were creating safety hazards during student drop-off and pick-up.
City Attorney Mala opened the discussion by warning that any local restriction would have to meet constitutional standards: time, place and manner rules must be content-neutral, narrowly tailored and leave open alternate channels for speech. She noted courts have permitted narrow “bubble-zone” rules in some contexts and cited recent litigation involving a San Diego ordinance that mirrors protections the U.S. Supreme Court approved in cases about reproductive-health facilities.
The matter drew sustained public comment from dozens of residents on both sides of the issue. Police Chief James Williams summarized the department’s…
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