The Beverly Hills City Council began a discussion this week about the possibility of free speech zones at city-hosted events.
The Free Speech Zone would be a special area where people can express their ideas and opinions at events organized by the city.
“We are a unique city. A lot of people come here to protest,” said Deputy City Manager Keith Sterling. “For us, it’s really a balance: respecting the right to demonstrate and protest that we value and appreciate in Beverly Hills, but also recognizing that the people who attend these events have the right to enjoy these events without disruption.”
The council discussed the issue at a study session on Tuesday, where several council members shared their thoughts.
“Going forward, I would feel more comfortable if we saw what the framework is, what the laws are, and what case law supports us and what may not,” said Councilman Craig Corman. “It’s all well and good if we’re happy with the program we adopt, but if it leads to litigation and we ultimately lose it, that doesn’t help anyone.”
“I also think we need to take a closer look at this area, but I still think there is a lot of work that needs to be done to get to a point where we are comfortable with it,” said Council Member Sharona Nazarian.
On the streets of Beverly Hills, people expressed their different views. Dondi Cedillo supports a free speech zone.
“I think it would be great to have a place where they can speak freely and where people can listen if they want. But I also think that if people put something on, they have the freedom to speak their mind without being disturbed by others,” Cedillo said.
Robby Mione is against it.
“A free speech zone, I think that would be in Iran,” Mione said. “But here, free speech is in the constitution, I’ve read it a few times, the zone is called… what’s it called again? Oh yeah. The United States.”
The council has asked the city attorney for more information on the legality of a possible zone, so if they decide to go ahead with the measure, they know the law is on their side.
Although discussions are still ongoing, potential penalties for violations range from a summons to an administrative offense.
The Beverly Hills City Council is expected to revisit the issue in a few weeks.
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