Houston council considers banning protests at private homes after picketing at politicians' houses

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Protestors have targeted multiple elected officials in our area in recent months and are showing up unannounced at their homes.

Now, Houston City Council members are considering a new law designed to ban protests at private homes.

But, the proposal is bringing up questions about rights.

On July 19, demonstrators showed up at Houston Mayor John Whitmire's home.

While protesting the war in Gaza, eight people, including Eyad El-Akoum, were detained and cited through Houston's noise ordinance.

"Protesting is not illegal," El-Akoum said. "It is a fundamental, inherent right for anybody to speak out against injustices."

Just a week and a half after the protest at Whitmire's house, council members will vote Wednesday on whether to make the exact same type of protest illegal.

The proposed law would prohibit picketing and demonstrating within 200 feet of a targeted dwelling.

The mayor's office couldn't provide any more details.

"The obvious question is: 200 feet from where? From a person's home? From their front yard? Is this 200 feet from anyone's home or just a government official's home? If this is targeting government officials, is this some sort of law that is not neutral and applies only to particular politicians? Maybe this is designed to suppress speech rather than just protect privacy," South Texas College of Law Professor Josh Blackman questioned.

The mayor's spokesperson said this new law was not proposed by the mayor. She said several people, including other elected officials, requested it.

She wouldn't disclose to Eyewitness News which elected officials requested the regulation.

Over the past year, ABC13 has also seen protests at the homes of other leaders, including Senator Ted Cruz and Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher.

"It's not going to stop the protests. All it's going to do is just push them a little over. Where is that? That's your neighbor, Whitmire. That's your neighbor, Cruz. That's your neighbor, Fletcher," El-Akoum said. "So, if that's what you all want, to disturb your neighbors and not listen to your constituents, then we're going to play by your rules."

Whitmire's spokesperson said Dallas has a similar protesting ordinance.

Eyewitness News requested details about that from both her and the City of Dallas, but it has not received any information yet.

We also reached out to council members and have been told by at least one of them that they have not received any details about the mayor's proposal yet, either.

So, a lot of questions remain before Wednesday's vote.

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