ORD-35 Correspondence – Lisa Del Sesto
From: Lisa Del Sesto [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2023 8:14 PM
To: CityClerk <[email protected]>
Subject: Ord-35 in the city council agenda 3/21/23
-EXTERNAL-
LB City Council
Lisa Del Sesto with LB/OC Women Rising
Thank you for giving me space to speak tonight. I am here to talk to you exactly about free speech. Ord-35, although I do understand the motivation behind it, this ordinance leaves room for interpretation that will actually silence our right to free speech. This concerns me greatly as an activist and organizer in this beautiful city. Many of you sitting here on this council tonight have also spoken at some of our peaceful rallies over this past year.
I would like to address sections 9.28.030 and 9.28.040 in which penalties may not just deter direct residential targeted picketing of city official but also deter protesting and free speech in general, as there are residences throughout downtown for example and protesters do not know where a city official may live. The language in this ordinance seems to have too many holes in it to allow peaceful protesters the confidence that they will not be fined or arrested for upholding their first amendment right to free speech. Please reject this ordinance. It needs to go back to the City Attorney’s office to be written better and assure the residents and business owners of Long Beach their first amendment rights to free speech.
Thank you again for letting me speak tonight. Please do not silence our voices. Reject this ordinance.
Lisa Del Sesto
LB/OC Women Rising
Sent from my iPhone