In the wake of a recent Supreme Court ruling reaffirming protesters’ right to picket military funerals, Nassau County officials proposed creating a bigger buffer between mourners and picketers.
County Executive Ed Mangano said Monday he will introduce legislation that would extend the county’s funeral protest restriction from 300 feet to 1,000 feet. In addition, local veterans groups said they will join forces to block grieving families’ view of protests by using American flags.
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“We must pass laws to create a respectful buffer zone so that military families maintain their rights to bury loved ones in peace,” Mangano said in a statement. His proposal will also require protesters to obtain a permit to regulate the time, place and manner of demonstrations.
The nation’s high court ruled 8-1 last week in favor of the controversial Wichita, Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church in the case of Snyder v. Phelps in which the father of a Pennsylvania man sued the church after they rallied at the funeral for his son, a Marine who was killed in Iraq.
As they have at hundreds of other funerals—including some on Long Island—the Westboro members held signs with provocative messages at the funeral for Matthew Snyder, including “Thank God for dead soldiers,” ”You’re Going to Hell,” and “God Hates the USA/Thank God for 9/11.”
Members of Gold Star Parents, Patriot Guard Riders and other veterans groups said they will use the buffer between the protestors and the funeral to form a shield.
“The protestors have been known for their inflammatory remarks and signs,” Connie Steers, New York State Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Hearts, said in a statement. “I cannot understand how people can be so immoral and disrespectful to our heroes who fought for their right to free speech.”
Suffolk County Legis. Steve Stern (D-Huntington), who authored a law in that county to bar protests near a military funeral, also criticized the Supreme Court ruling.
“I strongly believe that we can support a society where we have a vigorous public debate, but that does not require that we protect a vicious and brutal assault on a private individual in the name of free speech,” Stern said in a statement.
The Suffolk law requires protestors be 150 feet from the house of worship and 300 feet from the cemetery. It also limits protests to one hour before, during and after the service, but does not require a permit.
