Discuss Potential Ordinance Regulating Targeted Picketing in Residential Neighborhoods

A few Minnesota cities have recently adopted ordinances prohibiting targeted picketing in residential areas, while others have had them for years based on incidents that occured in their cities.  The City of Ramsey currently has no ordinances that prohibit targeted picketing in residential areas and have had no recent examples of this. Targeted picketing in other cities has been dispruptive to neighborhoods and escalated to violence and criminal acts by those picketing and those opposing picketers.  Examples of persons targeted with picketing include doctors at their homes for performing abortions, elected officials for their view/vote on an issue, corporate executives for their companies product use in animal testing, police officers, union leaders, etc.  Targets of picketers include both public and private persons based on their occupation or postion.

Targeted picketing in residential neighborhoods is not regulated in MN State Statutes. However, local ordinances prohibiting residential and targeted picketing have been upheld by MN Appeal Courts and the US Supreme Court to be constitutional.

Attached to this case are news articles, and related court decisions.

20 minutes

none. part of staff regular duties

Police Chief Katers

Staff direction to propose an ordinance prohibiting targeted picketing in Ramsey or make no changes to city code.