Council supports state bill making distribution of hate flyers on private property a civil rights violation, retains controversial ban on remote public comments
By Michael Howard
Photo: Vice Mayor Laura Lothian discusses State Assembly Bill 3024 during April 9 La Mesa City Council Meeting.
April 14, 2024 (La Mesa, CA) – The La Mesa City Council continues to grapple with a balance between free speech protected by the U.S. Constitution and hate speech that just doesn’t seem to go away.
In its latest action, the Council voted 4-1 on Tuesday to adopt a resolution to support state bill AB 3024, the Stop Hate Littering Act, introduced by Assemblymember Chris Ward.
That bill adds language to section 51.7 of the current California State Civil Code to further define “intimidation by threat of violence” to include “distribution of hateful materials on private property of another without authorization for the purpose of terrorizing the owner or occupant of that private property or in reckless disregard of the risk of terrorizing the owner or occupant of that private property.”
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