City Council Introduces Ordinance To Limit Protests At Meetings
By aaroncynic in News on Feb 17, 2012 2:30PM
Four aldermen introduced an ordinance this week which would ban spectators at City Council meetings from engaging in vocal "demonstration of approval or disapproval" at meetings. The Chicago News Cooperative reports banned behavior would include "cheering, yelling, clapping, foot stomping, whistling, booing or jeering.” In addition, the room would be able to be cleared if such conduct occurs. The Huffington Post reports the proposal would also ban attendees from carrying signs, banners and posters unless first approved by the Mayor or presiding aldermen.
Similar rules exist in both Congress and the Illinois legislature.
Ald. Edward Burke (14th) said, "the proposed changes…were introduced as a courtesy in response to a suggestion by the sergeant-at-arms and should make for a lively discussion." Mayor Rahm Emanuel said he hadn't yet had time to look at the proposal, but seems to support it. "People have the right to have their voices heard. Also, we have business to conduct. We’ll balance those two so people have their First Amendment rights," said Emanuel.
Civil liberties advocates, some aldermen and protest organizers have roundly criticized the newly proposed rules. Andy Thayer, a spokesman for the Coalition Against NATO-G-8 told the Sun-Times, "what they want is a rubber-stamp audience for the rubber-stamp City Council." He noted during the debate over security measures for the summits in May, police attempted to remove protesters. Thayer said "I said show us the rules that say we can’t do this. They couldn’t. They were lying. Now ex post facto, they want to change the rules."
While current codes of conduct ban forms of protest inside legislative chambers at other governmental levels, forms of protest in Chicago City Council chambers have been common. The Tribune's Clout Street notes that signs have always been common, and while loud outbursts are frowned upon, people have rarely been removed from meetings. It's not terribly hard to see that some City Council members are more than a bit nervous about increased protests occurring at meetings. More than once, demonstrators have protested both in and outside city council chambers in regards to the new ordinances regulating protest in regards to the upcoming NATO/G8 summits. As those draw nearer, the city council and the Mayor's office can expect protests to heat up.
The measures are a pretty transparent attempt to try to quell public demonstrations of dissent. Even if the measure passes, it's unlikely it will stop protesters from trying to make their voices heard.