DENVER—People protesting outside the homes of abortion doctors and others would be limited to one sign each and would have to keep moving under a new bill being considered by state lawmakers.
Sen. Steve Ward, R-Littleton, said Monday that the bill doesn’t take a position on the issues being protested and is aimed at keeping the peace in neighborhoods. Ward, who opposes abortion rights, pointed out that the bill is sponsored by lawmakers from both parties on both sides of the abortion issue.
“We have a right to be secure and peaceful in our homes,” Ward said.
The bill states that targeted protests outside someone’s home are intended to send a message to that homeowner, not the general public, and that protesters have plenty of other ways to get their message across.
The bill would only allow such protests if the protesters keep walking without stopping on a route extending for at least a block in front of a house, or on either side of the house. Each protester would be limited to carrying one sign no bigger than 2 feet by 3 feet.
Protesters who don’t follow the guidelines would first be warned that they are violating the law. If they continue to violate it, they could be cited with a misdemeanor and fined up to $5,000.
Cathryn Hazouri, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado, said she has reviewed the bill but said the group wasn’t taking a position on it.
“Only a court can determine if it’s constitutional or not,” she said.
Ward said the bill is similar to a measure he introduced while serving as an Arapahoe County commissioner because of complaints about people protesting outside the home of an abortion doctor.
Even though it also required the protests to be more spread out, Ward said residents there have been happy with the ordinance because it prevents protesters from stopping in front of homes and setting up signs on other people’s lawns.
“It’s the best we can do,” said Ward, who said he’s been working on the bill since last year.
Recently, abortion opponents have been protesting at the homes of executives of a construction company and subcontractors building a new Planned Parenthood clinic in Denver. The Collaborators Project said a Super Bowl party outside the home of a Weitz Co. senior vice president drew 50 people, who brought hot dogs and eggplant parmesan for the event. There was also a truck displaying large photographs of fetuses.
Group member Will Duffy said he would support the bill since protesters have already been living with the same restrictions in Arapahoe County but he warned more neighbors would see the protests since they have to be spread out.
“We know that residential picketing in miserable. But since we believe that they’re killing children, we’re going to employ any legal means we can to stop it,” he said.
If the bill passes, Duffy said his group would send mailings or call the owners of nearby homes to let them know they would be protesting, which he said would help them educate more people about their cause.
“If they want to know why, I’ll say call Sen. Steve Ward,” Duffy said.
The Weitz Co. said it didn’t request the bill.
“While Weitz executives have been the target of residential picketing, we continue to focus our efforts on providing quality construction and renovation services to our clients,” Bill Hornaday, president The Weitz Co. Rocky Mountain office, said in a written statement.
