Protesters around a Planned Parenthood center in Walnut Creek will continue to be able to express their free speech. They’ll just have to be quieter about it.
The Walnut Creek City Council on Tuesday unanimously passed a sound ordinance that would restrict sound amplification from bullhorns and other devices within 100 feet of Planned Parenthood on Oakland Boulevard.
In 2022, the city created a buffer zone around the building after police received 42 calls for service at the Planned Parenthood facility between Jan. 1, 2020, and Nov. 5, 2021. The ordinance mandates that protesters stay at least 8 feet away from patients.
Complaints included accusations of verbal and physical harassment and intimidation of patients and protesters blocking sidewalks.
Protesters found a way around the buffer zone to let patients and Planned Parenthood workers hear their protests, again resulting in dozens of police calls and friction between the two sides. Planned Parenthood workers said at Tuesday’s meeting that the protesters could be heard inside the building with the door closed.
Councilperson Kevin Wilk said Walnut Creek becomes the first city in the Bay Area to craft a noise ordinance around a Planned Parenthood facility.
“This is one more way that we can protect women’s rights in California,” Wilk said Wednesday. “And prevent harassment to patients and employees who are trying to exercise their California state rights.”
29 comments
Communism in action.
Soon peaceful protesters will be rounded up and disappear and never be heard from again.
But burn down buildings and destroy everything, those guys will get honors.
These protestors are just cruel.
But BLM protests were kind right?
Fine then. Back up 101 feet and pull out that bullhorn. Be peaceful and NEVER let yourselves be silenced.
Notice the blatantly unconstitutional burdening of politically unfavored speech: there’s no such regulation for other locations that get protested.
I’ll use my Car horn. That’s not banned. Problem solved.
See 27001 of the vehicle code. It’s not only illegal , but harassing some poor woman is immoral .
“Sssshhhhh.we’re performing an abortion in here,we dont want anyone hurt or offended.”
What are the consequences for violating the ordinance?
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The article says “The ordinance mandates that protesters stay at least 8 feet away from patients.” Is it just on protesters to stay 8-feet away from patients, or do patients also have to stay 8-feet away from the protesters? How are protesters supposed to recognize someone is a patient before they enter the building?
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What happens when the protesters move 100-feet away from Planned Parenthood and use 10 or more bullhorns simultaneously, versus using one bullhorn next to the building?
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If the Walnut Creek City Council is going to impose free speech restrictions, then they should impose the same restrictions everywhere and on everyone, not for just certain businesses and certain protesters.
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Given that Walnut Crrek City Councilmember Kevin Wilk recently said that he finds FREE SPEECH “UNFORTUNATE,” I don’t like that he voted on this at all, he should’ve recused himself from voting on this matter. Councilmember Kevin Wilk has already made it clear that he doesn’t respect or believe in our RIGHT of FREE SPEECH, he only supports speech that he agrees with!!!
Obviously not a law. These communists think bans and ordinances are legal.
Well….. according to “Giggles” the Vice Prez regarding rioters & protesters ” they’re not gonna let up, and they should not, and we should not” of course she was only referring to those who were protesting, burning & looting over the killing of a criminal by Police….. not the murders of unborn children.
Can someone here explain why harassing a rape victim getting an abortion needs people harassing her?
So Frank
Everyone getting an abortion is a rape victim? Last time I checked, abortion was not limited to rape victims but to any biological female who was pregnant.
But I know facts don’t matter much to you.
OK, I’ll play your game. Let’s make it illegal to “harass” women whose pregnancies are a result of rape, but all others can be criticized for taking an innocent life.
What’s that .005 percent of all abortions
Im sure that woman is now out there protesting?..stop grasping at straws maybe.
The percentage of rape victims who got abortions is a tiny fraction of the over 1million abortions performed last year in the USA.
https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/abortions-due-to-rape-by-state
OK, I’ll play along. Let’s make it illegal to “harass” women seeking to abort pregnancies that are a result of rape. All others can be criticized for their decision to terminate an innocent human life created by their own voluntary actions.
Harassing should be discouraged, especially the 4% needing an abortion due to sexual assault. That said, harassing 100% of the rapists should be quite acceptable.
Anything for a guilt trip when its not deserved……and to shut you down,like screaming racism when too many blacks break the law and get caught….dem strategy.Now they say babys born addicted to drugs should not be reported to the state because its almost always women of color,so this makes it racist to report them since they do it the most(what?’)…The people that come up with this tripe are the ones destroying the USA
Literally nobody getting an abortion is a rape victim. Literally nobody is having an abortion from incest.
These are the lies told. They murder babies, of course they tell lies. It’s basic math.
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How many rapes actually happen?
How much incest is going on?
Literally none. You can check the crime statistics yourself. Literally zero rape even happens. Incest…come on man
Verbal and physical harassment and intimidation of women seeking healthcare is inexcusable and immoral. Good for the City of Walnut Creek for imposing this restriction.
You don’t think killing babies is immoral?
Interesting set of values you covet.
What is wrong with you people? It’s crazy what you justify
The “healthcare” they seek results in the termination of an innocent human life.
100 feet is nothing btw,WC is just trying to shut these people up that are complaining because they are wasting manpower on cry babies.
And in America there is a long waiting list to adopt… fact is 75% of women just don’t want to be inconvenienced by a pregnancy or raising a child.
Easier to use abortion as birth control.
And there is an ever longer list of foster kids.
If men were the gender giving birth, the word abortion would never be used. It would be ‘culling the herd’.
Men can’t get pregnant.
I’m sure the ordinance applies to pregnancy resources centers as well, right???
Right???
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