Riverside County protest boundary ordinance remains intact (The Press-Enterprise)15 September 2009, 10:34 pmSupervisors left untouched Tuesday an ordinance that places restrictions on protests that target residences in unincorporated Riverside County.
The board approved the ordinance in March after months of debate and revisited it Tuesday to examine its impact. Former Supervisor Roy Wilson, who died last month, had requested the review.
The board accepted a report Tuesday from the Sheriff's Department, saying deputies had no instances where they needed to utilize the ordinance. In situations where the ordinance might apply, deputies found the existing penal code more appropriate, the report said.
The new rules forbid protesters from coming within 30 feet of the property line of a residence they are targeting.
Supervisor Jeff Stone and the Church of Scientology, which owns a 700-acre compound near Hemet, had pushed for the ordinance. In January, Stone sought to fast-track the ordinance, saying it was urgently needed to prevent someone from being harmed.
Small groups of protesters have picketed many times outside the church's Golden Era Productions campus, which includes staff dormitories, film studios, offices and recreational amenities.
Protesters say church officials have abused staffers who live on the compound, charges church representatives say are untrue.
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Riverside County protest boundary ordinance remains intact (The Press-Enterprise)
