Montgomery County Ramps Up Enforcement Of Protests Outside Supreme Court Justices' Homes

[mahatmakanejeeves]

JUL 14, 4:13 PM

Montgomery County Ramps Up Enforcement Of Protests Outside Supreme Court Justices’ Homes

Jenny Gathright | https://twitter.com/jennygathright

Police in Montgomery County say they will step up enforcement of disorderly conduct and protest-related laws as part of an effort to respond to protests outside the homes of Supreme Court justices. ... “MCPD supports the first amendment right to protest, however anyone violating the disorderly conduct statute, may be subject to arrest,” the department tweeted Wednesday evening. Montgomery County police also updated its website and placed the county’s protest laws and disorderly conduct laws prominently on its homepage.

Link to tweet

Earl Stoddard, the county’s assistant chief administrative officer, wrote on Twitter that a “point of emphasis” for county law enforcement would be the portion of state law prohibiting people from “making an unreasonably loud noise” or “willfully disturb[ing] the peace” at someone’s home. Police have said they will allow quiet or silent protests, but will crack down on louder forms of protest like the use of bullhorns or drums. ... Montgomery County Police did not immediately respond to questions about what kind of punishment could result from violating these laws.

Link to tweet

The messaging from the county comes after weeks of protests outside the Chevy Chase homes of Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts, who live less than a mile apart. Since May, when a draft of the court decision ending the constitutional right to an abortion in the United States was leaked and published, protesters have repeatedly gathered outside their homes and the homes of other conservative justices in northern Virginia. Protests – both outside the Supreme Court and outside the homes of conservatives justices – accelerated after the Supreme Court officially overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling in June, a move that will drastically curtail access to abortion across vast swaths of the country.

On Wednesday night, protesters proceeded with a demonstration outside Kavanaugh’s home, abiding with new rules they called “constitutionally questionable.” They refrained from using bullhorns or any kind of amplification tools, and instead sang quietly while marching along the sidewalk. ... “We felt like they were putting us in a corner,” Sadie Kuhns, an organizer with the group Our Rights DC, tells DCist/WAMU. “There wasn’t much we could do besides just continuing to use our voices, as is our First Amendment right.”

Link to tweet

{snip}

Kuhns says organizers are still talking through how they will approach their protests given the escalation of police enforcement. However, they add: “We’re not going to stop.” ... Kuhns also says they will start advertising the protests differently. ... “When it comes to the plans for the future of the protests at Kavanaugh’s specifically, we are just going to make sure people know there’s an increased risk there where there wasn’t before,” says Kuhns. “We used to advertise it as a place where you could come and voice your opinion and use your First Amendment freedom, but we’re going to let people know it’s a much different environment now.”

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Washington Post Opinion: Enforce the anti-picketing law in Montgomery County

Read the comments. The bolding is mine.

THE POST'S VIEW

Opinion Enforce the anti-picketing law in Montgomery County

By the Editorial Board
July 14, 2022 at 3:13 p.m. EDT

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich’s refusal to enforce a local ordinance that bans the picketing of private residences has emboldened crowds to keep protesting outside Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh’s suburban home three weeks after he cast a decisive vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. Mr. Elrich’s reluctance to act is unfortunate — and he should reconsider his hands-off approach to protecting his high-profile constituents if protests that violate the county code take place. In welcome news, the Montgomery County Police Department reaffirmed Wednesday that “anyone violating the disorderly conduct statute may be subject to arrest.”

{snip}

Mr. Elrich is a staunch supporter of abortion rights, as is this Editorial Board. He has one set of constituents who are understandably and appropriately angry about the court’s action; they deserve the ability to exercise their First Amendment rights, as the county ordinance provides. But Mr. Elrich represents other constituents — three of the justices — who also possess the rights to feel safe and secure in their homes. One wonders whether Mr. Elrich, who is running for reelection in next Tuesday’s primary, would strike the same balance if the ideological tables were turned and he were more sympathetic to the views of those being targeted. (The Post has endorsed his opponent, businessman David Blair.)

{snip}

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. Maryland police warn officers will enforce law against disturbing peace outside justices' homes

Maryland police warn officers will enforce law against disturbing peace outside Supreme Court justices' homes

By Whitney Wild and Joan Biskupic, CNN

Updated 6:58 PM ET, Wed July 13, 2022

(CNN) -- The Montgomery County Police says it will begin enforcing a Maryland law against disturbing the peace after more than two months of regular protests outside the homes of US Supreme Court justices.

"Please note: MCPD supports the first amendment right to protest, however anyone violating the disorderly conduct statute, may be subject to arrest. Applicable laws regarding protests in Montgomery County have been added to the MCPD website," police tweeted Wednesday evening.

The local police agency told CNN it will not necessarily clear protesters outside of justices' homes for simply gathering, but will enforce statutes against disturbing the peace. For example, protesting quietly or silently is fine, but police will not allow bullhorns, drums or any loud behavior.

For weeks, dozens of protesters have gathered outside Justice Brett Kavanaugh's home and the residences of other conservative justices, such as Amy Coney Barrett in Virginia, to demonstrate against the court's decision to strike down Roe v. Wade. ... Montgomery County Police said the protests elicited a flood of complaints from neighbors and the department tried to find a balance between First Amendment rights and the peace of the community.

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[Irish_Dem]

3. The GOP elite has the right to "feel safe". They will always be protected.

The rest of us are in harm's way, every day.