The day after the Los Angeles City Council voted to direct the City Attorney’s Office to draw up an emergency ordinance to prohibit protests within 300 feet of the target’s residence, Council President Nury Martinez said Wednesday that a group of men, described as demonstrators, trespassed at her home and filmed her property and vehicle.
“Too many elected officials have gone through this, which is why I introduced the motion in council to prohibit protesting at individual people’s homes. Because who’s to say it won’t escalate further?” Martinez said.
The City Council’s action Tuesday came after anti-vaccination activists showed up at the homes of Martinez and Councilman Mitch O’Farrell on Sunday. Earlier that day, an anti-vaccination protester at a Santa Monica rally shared the addresses of council members and encouraged people to go to their homes if they vote yes on an ordinance to require at least partial proof of vaccination before entering most indoor public spaces.
It was not immediately clear if the people who arrived at Martinez’ house on Wednesday were anti-vaccination activists. The council president posted a video on Twitter of four men looking around her front yard and driveway, one pointing a video camera inside her vehicle and at her house.
Los Angeles’ municipal code prohibits “targeted demonstrations focused upon and at or about a private residence” that take place within 100 feet of the address.
Before the council voted on the motion Tuesday, Martinez discussed the experience of having protesters show up at her home on Sunday.
“I had a group of folks show up at my doorstep, banging on my door, banging on my windows, harassing my neighbors, screaming obscenities into my daughter’s bedroom and yelling into bullhorns asking my to come out and threatening my life,” she said.
“Members, quite frankly, I’m done with the entire thing. I’m done with the threats … I am prepared to put an end to this.”
The demonstrators went to the homes of Martinez and O’Farrell after an anti-vaccination protester held a sign with council members’ addresses and said:
“We have one week to stop the (vaccination) passports … if it’s unanimous, we’ve lost. Sharpen your knives, get your guns, get your food now …. We find out who voted yes and you show up at their house. We need to intimidate these people.”
The Los Angeles Police Department interviewed the protester and found that his statements were protected by the First Amendment, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The protester was referencing an ordinance requested by the City Council on Aug. 11 to require people show proof of at least partial vaccination against COVID-19 to enter most public indoor spaces in the city, including restaurants, bars, gyms, concern venues, movie theaters and retail establishments.