DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) — Beginning on Thursday evening, the City of Decatur will be enforcing permit requirements to protest or demonstrate.
On Thursday afternoon, Mayor Tab Bowling sent out a release stating that as of December 28, anyone wishing to protest or demonstrate “must obtain a permit from the City of Decatur per existing code.”
The statement comes after several weeks of protesting outside his home, according to Bowling. Protestors in Decatur have been calling for justice in the death of 39-year-old Stephen Perkins since he was shot and killed by Decatur police on September 29.
He says that all applicable state and federal laws or local rules concerning disorderly conduct, disorderly persons and failure of disorderly persons to disperse that may pertain to this situation will be enforced in the city.
Bowling calls the demonstrators behavior over the last several weeks “alarming and certainly disruptive,” but says that he understood this was a necessary part in the healing process and told the police chief to allow them to remain unhindered outside the home.
“Shortly thereafter I began receiving many phone calls and complaints from residents in the downtown area. I consulted with our Legal Department and then asked our police chief to enforce the local noise ordinance that limits the loud and disruptive behavior to 10 p.m. After several weeks of continued protests outside my home I want to assure those concerned that I have heard your voices. I cannot however, continue to allow these disruptions in any neighborhood in our city,” Bowling said in the statement.
The mayor goes on to say that he respects Constitutional Rights to free speech and to petition the government for a redress of grievances, however, legal precedent says government has the ability to place certain restrictions on public speech when it infringes upon the rights and peace of others.
You can read Bowling’s full statement below:
Since the protestors first arrived in my neighborhood I have shared my concerns with many of my trusted advisors. Understanding that this is a necessary step in the process of healing I asked our police chief to allow demonstrators to remain unhindered outside of my residence even though some of their behavior was alarming and certainly disruptive to many of my neighbors, and to them I apologize. Shortly thereafter I began receiving many phone calls and complaints from residents in the downtown area. I consulted with our Legal Department and then asked our police chief to enforce the local noise ordinance that limits the loud and disruptive behavior to 10 p.m. After several weeks of continued protests outside my home I want to assure those concerned that I have heard your voices. I cannot however, continue to allow these disruptions in any neighborhood in our city. After again consulting with our Legal Department I have conceded to what they and law enforcement have been advising me from the beginning, that the right to protest should not and may not infringe on the rights of others and the rule of law must be restored to allow peace for all of our citizens.
I absolutely respect our Constitutional Rights to free speech, to petition the government for a redress of grievances but legal precedent is clear that the government has the ability to place certain restrictions on public speech when it infringes upon the rights and peace of others.
Beginning this evening, December 28, 2023, anyone wishing to protest or demonstrate must obtain a permit from the City of Decatur per existing city code.
There are existing Alabama State laws concerning disorderly conduct, disorderly persons and failure of disorderly persons to disperse that may pertain to this situation. Those and all other applicable federal and state laws and local rules and ordinances will be enforced for the purpose of providing a peaceful atmosphere for al residents of the city.
Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling
