Olivette OKs Ban on Funeral Protests

The Olivette City Council approved restrictions on protests at funerals and burial services in the city, according to a report by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The council last week OK'ed the measure, although, the report said, there has never been an incident in the city to inspire the need for such legislation.

"We haven't had a problem with these groups, but they have been in Creve Coeur four or five times," the newspaper quoted Olivette Police Chief Rick Knox. "This is not restricting their freedom of speech, just the when and where."

The chief noted that there have been several incidents of funerals or burial services being disrupted by .

Olivette's ordinance bans protests or pickets within 300 feet of a funeral service and within an hour before or after a funeral or burial.

in December; so did Kirkwood in December. Maplewood is considering a similar ban; the measure was on its agenda last week.

A group from Westboro Baptist protested a Maplewood Richmond Heights High School production of the Laramie Project earlier this year, and the group has protested at funerals.