In the United States, unlike Russia, Hong Kong or Afghanistan, citizens have a right to gather peacefully together to protest and demonstrate.
But lately, something’s changed. Instead of sticking to City Hall, downtown streets, the Lincoln Memorial and other such public spaces, activists on both the right and the left have been regularly taking their protests into residential neighborhoods, to the homes of those they’re angry at.Sometimes, they’re well-behaved. But other times, they come early or stay late. Sometimes they bang on pots and pans or honk horns or shout through bullhorns at people eating dinner with their families.
Cops, prosecutors, councilmembers, Mayor Eric Garcetti and others have all been targeted at their homes by protesters. So have officials in Seattle, Fresno, Minneapolis, Idaho, Orange County, Oakland and Louisville, Ky., among other places.former L.A. County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey. A group arrived at her house before 6 a.m. last year, banging drums and chanting to protest her handling of police violence.
Public officials say they feel worried for their families. Those who have gone outside to talk to the demonstrators have sometimes found them unwilling to discuss the issues, just eager to provoke a fight.“I’m not comfortable limiting free speech,” said Councilman Bob Blumenfield, whose house has been a target. “But at what point are you limiting free speech and at what point are you protecting people from bullying?”But I’m also reluctant to see L.A.
opinion Yeah that’s fine.