by Tony Hicks – The city of Lafayette will likely officially ask the state for help in getting supporters of former President Donald Trump off the El Curtola Boulevard overpass.
On the council’s agenda for its meeting Monday is a resolution asking Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol to enforce its own law when it comes to a group of regular demonstrators hanging signs and flags and waving at vehicles below on state Highway 24.
The city has spoken publicly, and contacted the state, multiple times since the protesters started appearing in August. City officials say the issue isn’t protesters’ political beliefs — it’s the fact that drivers are distracted and neighbors complain to Lafayette police.
In a letter set to be sent next week — assuming the council approves — Mayor Susan Candell asks both agencies to enforce “Streets Highways Code 720-734,” which states, among other things, “If any encroachment exists in, under or over any State highway, the department may require the removal of such encroachment in the manner provided in this article.”
The encroachment, in this case, are the signs protesters affix to the fence.
“No action has been taken to correct it and the signs continue to be a distraction to the motorists,” Candell wrote. “The events have also attracted counter-protesters at various times; and one occasion, a counter protester grabbed a flagpole and threw it over the fencing to the highway below.”
“While the city of Lafayette recognizes and respects the First Amendment rights of all protesters, we are increasingly concerned about the safety of the motorists on the highway. We submit the attached resolution urging the California Department of Transportation and the California Highway Patrol to enforce the laws and regulations of the state of California.”
While the state owns the overpass, the residential sections on either side of the bridge are in Lafayette. Caltrans has told the city its employees will not approach the protesters. The city has explored expanding red parking zones near the bridge for safety reasons, as it said parked vehicles can block drivers’ view of pedestrians.
The city has also discussed attaching slats to the fence to prevent the hanging of signs, but determined at its last council meeting slats were too dangerous, as the bottom of the fence extends over the freeway. Caltrans says it removes any signs protesters leave.
The CHP provided the city accident statistics last month, essentially saying there were as many traffic collisions from May 1 to Sept. 30 in the area as there were from Oct. 1 to Feb. 22. Capt. Ben Moser of the CHP’s Contra Costa Area said in a letter dated Feb. 22, “The protests are occurring within the City of Lafayette and would primarily be the responsibility of Lafayette Police Department to respond and investigate any regulatory concerns of illegal activity.”
Moser also wrote “When notified of a protest, the CHP actively monitors highways within CHP jurisdiction for any impact on the safe and efficient flow of traffic.”
Did anyone have any interest to enforce any laws regarding the pro Biden protests that led to burning and looting of our towns over the summer?
Except of course to impose lockdowns on law abiding citizens
Yes! Agree soon to be ex-California!
Have you ever realized that being Anti-Trump does not make you Pro-Biden? Or do you only see things as black and white? Seems to me that you are looking for a reason to blame anyone besides your idol. Good luck but don’t hurt yourself overthinking this.
@ Thinker
Sowing the seeds of unity I see…what a joke just looking for a reason to hate and spew your misplaced anger.
Well that ought to cut down on the home invasion problem here in
Lamorida. Way to go.
So it was a counter protester that tossed the flagpole onto the freeway.
Hmmph…liberals.
What about Biden supporters who burnt down cities and Destroy people’s property was that wrong but you allowed it to happen
Biden supporters didn’t destroy property in Lafayette, and didn’t burn down the city of Lafayette either. The council of Lafayette is addressing a local issue, which has nothing to do with any rioting in other parts of the country.
Marie – Please name a city that was burnt down by Biden supporters.
Natalie,
You obviously were not in downtown Walnut Creek on May 31st when groups of young black people broke windows and looted stores and there was a shooting.
108RS
Burnt cities down? Like Tulsa?
I’m pretty sure there are no personal attacks on Biden protests. People have the right to protest and also the right of freedom of speech in this country. Anything that has to do with Trump, people want to complain and act like a bunch of Karen’s about. How about people utilize their time fighting about getting kids back into school rather than something like this?
The only reason they are upset about this is because for them, seeing Trump signage is the equivalent of seeing blue tarps upon entry to the east bay. It’s just not proper and might scare the woke people.
I’ve got a better idea: Instead of wasting Highway Patrol manpower on this, why not use it stop the people throwing boulders onto highway 242 that are killing people.
Even calling them protestors is a bit of a stretch. They put up a couple of Trump banners and wave a few American flags. People need to just get over it.
And yes, I would say the same thing if they were Biden banners.
Oops, I didn’t mean for my previous post to be a reply to TFS.
@TheFearlessSpectator. I agree with you wholeheartedly regarding the people throwing rock from the overpass. It seems that there is always some woke people making excuse for such behavior criminals and that is inexcusable.
That bridge was Obama central, leading up to the 2008 & 2012 elections. Why wasn’t this “issue” addressed, back then? (snark)
Who has committed the violence?
My blood is boiling.Over the years that overpass has caused miles of backups on the freeway and nothing has ever been done about it. Now because Trump supporters are there you want to put a stop to it.You are a bunch of idiots.Talk about racist get the f—k out of town you morons.
Sounds like, you know………facism
Am aware of the misspell
I am not a Trump supporter, but I am less of a Biden supporter. I say let them be if they are not provoking anyone.
Yet the 4,000 crosses on a hillside near bart station for over a decade, which were visible from the freeway, didn’t “trigger” a similar move by the city.
Perhaps a visit to a bookstore to look for,
How to Untwist Triggered Knickers, for dummies.
How are those a distraction to drivers, yet tons of billboards including the light up mall ones aren’t distractions. That’s right, because it doesn’t fit your agenda.
its ok though when the other side actually goes onto the freeway and blocks traffic both ways for miles…. right? Burning buildings , assaulting law enforcement, assaulting people, ruining neighborhoods, looting.. in the name of whatever the weekly “cause” ohhh… and everrrrrything is racist…… as long as it is anti- Trump, its A-ok…. Ass backwards.
#stupidANDhypocritical
Every driver on the freeway should be keeping their eyes on the road and the cars around them according to DMV instructions when you get your license. It does not matter what is up on the bridge it is up to the drivers to keep their attention and focus on driving safely and watching for slowing traffic changing traffic or any other obstacle in their way. If they should get distracted and of their free will decide to look away and should get into an accident they have nobody to blame but themselves. Drivers must take responsibility for their own actions or inactions and quit pointing fingers at other people. Nobody is being forced to look.
@Michael Cordero
You are 100% correct.
I enjoy seeing them up there, not causing any trouble. Let’s fix the real problems for once.
Non-issue. The supposed safety concerns are transparent nonsense.
Though, btw, the Stop the Steal slogan seems a little past it’s relevance date, just sayin.
It’s all about free speech.
If the protesters on the overpass had posters up for Biden, there would be no complaints.
Only the weak of character fear opposing views.
IF,IF, IF
If the dog hadn’t stopped to drop a load, he’d have caught the rabbit.
+1
@ remember
That was the best MIC DROP ever!!!!!
Well done 🇺🇸
Lafayette isn’t trying to enforce a law only on Trump supporters. They want both sides to stop. Anti-Trump people also put up signs and banners. Sometimes both the anti and pro Trump protesters are there at the same time, which results in confrontations started by both sides. People are regularly blocking the side walks, and get into the lanes of traffic. The problematic and confrontational behavior on the overpass is spilling over into the surrounding neighborhoods as well.
Natalie,
Too bad, live with it.
108RS
I have another idea. How about demanding the state to enforce laws that heavily punish those who throw rocks from the overpass that in turn leads to not only car accidents but people getting badly injured or getting killed? HOW ABOUT THAT!? Also, why not have the state be forced to heavily punished reckless drivers who drive under the influence of some legal or illegal, or any other kind of substance or reckless driving for that matter, that cause negative repercussions that affect a big group of individuals!?
Trump was president for 4-years, get over it!
Biden is allowing a flood of illegals coming into the country and having many of those individuals on our roads will create more than one problem as well. People can’t be driving unlicensed just because they can be illegally in the country. Let’s have the state enforce laws around that too.
Time to put up some razor wire.
TRUMP 2024!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I actually tried and I cannot think of anything worse. O
Poor liberals. Even when they win, they lose.
Where’s Joe? 😂😂😂😂😂
Biden is hiding’
If you really want to see some liberal heads explode, we need to get “Black Transgenders For Trump” up there to wave some flags.
Now that’s working!….throw in some Dr. Seuss and you’ve got a real campaign! And a few counselors standing by to comfort wokesters….
Tennessee is working in correct direction,
“The bill would upgrade the offense of obstructing a highway or street from a Class B or C misdemeanor to a Class E felony.” …
“Class E felonies are punishable by up to six years in prison. The bill would also impose a mandatory $3,000 fine.
Under the legislation, if a driver “who is exercising due care” unintentionally injures or kills someone blocking a highway, the driver would be immune from prosecution for the injury or death.”
WJHL channel 11 https://tinyurl.com/2s3f53t4
@Natalie.If I remember correctly, it wasn’t Biden supporters who caused destruction at Broadway Plaza and Walnut Creek Target among other places. Clayton and Concord were on high alert and were forced to close down streets so Biden supporters could go about having their tantrum.
@Natalie. *it was Biden supporters.
This is a good thing, less distraction on the road, and why are they still protesting anyway, let me guess it has to be before happy hour
I have been driving under that overpass for years and I’ve always hated it when there are people up there celebrating or protesting – it distracts drivers.
I find it odd that people want such demonstrations shut down only now that they are pro-Trump demonstrations – they never complained before.
Either no demonstrations are permitted or all demonstrations are permitted. You can’t ban the demonstration based on what’s being said or what cause is being espoused.
The freeway isn’t Lafayette’s responsibility, nor is the Caltrans over pass. The over pass has had sign wavers on it for years for a number of world events and yet because it’s Trump people suddenly it needs to be stopped. How many months were people up there after 9/11…
I didn’t vote for either Trump or Biden, IMO neither have any connection or true care for the common citizen it’s all about taking care of their own.
I can only imagine how much pearl-clutching this has caused in Lafayette.
Boy all you supposed never Trumpers non Biden supporters are full of it. I love that even though the orange man is out of office, that the Trump Derangement Syndrome still thrives more than the scary virus. How does it feel to let him live rent free in all your brains?
Sue them individually and as a whole. Perhaps, then, they will realize how the city is violating freedom of speech and discrimination.
They are a danger to the freeway traffic below the overpass. They cause a distraction by asking for attention. I had to cross El Curtola one time with them in the roadway, and one almost went right towards my car but his friend yanked him out of the way. They need a safer place to protest where they can still gain attention to their cause. We live in a Democracy and they have a right to protest just not there. I think prohibiting the area where they are parking would be great. Their pickups are in the roadway too.
Great idea. Let them protest where nobody can see them. Is that the same way you feel about other protests? I doubt it.
The “distraction” argument is a load of BS. There are about a thousand things to distract you every mile you drive. If you can’t drive by flag wavers on an overpass without crashing your car, it’s time for you to turn in your license.
All I want to do, and I am sure most of us commuting home on this freeway just want to get home from a long day at work.
When these “stop the steal” protesters are above the freeway they cause a considerable increase in the time it takes to get home.
I have witnessed an accident that happen near that overpass that was caused by people not concentrating on the road because they are looking at the signs and people on the overpass.
These “stop the steal” protesters are not projecting their message the right way. I hope they are proud of how they are spreading there message.
….Oh yeah, Somebody tell them to grow up and the election is over..
At least they are not dropping bricks.
Are the people protesting even from Lafayette? I have no issue with locals expressing their opinions. It’s when the out-of-towners get involved there are problems.
Boy you have to be a special kind of simple to get into an accident because you were distracted by flags on an overpass. Not sure how that kind of driver even functions but heres a tip for them: never drive in a foreign country like Mexico.
I have to chuckle at the selective faux outrage by the left. Not a peep when they were shutting down actual freeways like 680, 880 and more but put a flag up on an overpass and stop the presses~ DANGER jill bidenson!
Frankly I’ve commuted 24 every day for 24yrs and the flags dont create more traffic than normal. Theres been banners on and off for a variety of reasons in all that time.
Exactly! 👏
Old white guys with nothing better to do than promote a disgraced, corrupt and incompetent ex president. Oh…they also believe The Big Lie. Not very smart, those guys.
Can it be any more obvious this is about politics, and not about safety….The mayor even quoted the code which says the department “MAY” require…not shall…..I guess that means when it doesnt suit her she can request….but they dont have to respond….
I loathe Trump supporters for their lack of compassion and integrity, but they have a first amendment right to stand up there and spread their dumb election conspiracies as much and as long as they want.
I loathe bleeding-heart liberal morons