City Council Delays Vote On 'Improvised Weapon' Ban
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Tuesday night's City Council meeting ended abruptly after protestors began shouting at the mic. Many were there to speak out against a controversial emergency ordinance which would establish new prohibitions on protests.
It was a surprising twist at City Hall as an expected vote on a proposed new law banning protestors from carrying certain items never happened.
Cres Vellucci with the National Lawyers Guild said the city council was trying to "stifle first amendment activities."
If passed, the law would have immediately banned demonstrators from possessing items such as baseball bats, glass bottles, torches, pepper spray, shields, rocks, and other items that police say could be used as weapons.
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"They are trying to make it so we can't do what we've been doing, and it's basically to oppress us and our right to protest," said Tanya Faison with Black Lives Matter.
City leaders passed a similar ordinance in 2003 right before a downtown protest at a USDA Agriculture conference. The council credited their decision with preventing serious vandalism or injury during protests.
But just an hour before Tuesday's meeting began, it was announced the vote was being postponed.
"It has become clear that this proposed ordinance would benefit from more discussion and community input," Faison said.
Member's of Sacramento's Black Lives Matter say they were the targets of the new rules.
"It seems very intentional with the release of information on Stephon Clark," Faison said.
The community is waiting on the decision from the District Attorney on whether to file charges against the officers who shot and killed Clark last year. There is no specific timeline on the decision, but it could come any day and spark large-scale protests.
The issue will now be sent to a committee for further study, but opponents hope it will never come to a vote.
"I don't want them to pass it at all," Faison said.
The DA's office said they are still reviewing evidence in the Clark shooting.
