§ 12-5. Peaceful picketing.

(a)

Permit required. To protect the peace, safety, and welfare of the city, peaceful picketing shall be permitted as provided in this section upon a permit issued by the city manager. The permit shall be upon form provided to the city manager by the city attorney and shall be valid for a period of thirty (30) days. The permit must be secured not less than three (3) days prior to the commencement of picketing. Successive permits are allowed.

(b)

Hours. Picketing shall be allowed from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Picketing shall not be allowed during any other hours.

(c)

Number of pickets per block. The number of pickets picketing in any one (1) entire block of the city shall be limited to four (4).

(d)

Spacing between, alignment of pickets. Spacing between individual pickets shall be at least eight (8) feet and they shall at all times remain in single file.

(e)

Signs and placards. Signs and placards may be carried by picketers provided they do not contain obscene, profane, or racially offensive language, and are not so large as to interfere with pedestrian traffic. Free-standing signs and placards shall not be allowed.

(f)

Pickets to be along curb. In areas of the city where curbs are located picketing shall be in an area twenty-four (24) inches wide immediately adjacent to the curb.

(g)

Pickets in a no-curb area. In areas of the city where no curbs are located, picketing shall be in a safe area as determined by the city manager and noted in the permit.

(h)

Crossing streets and alleys. Picketing route may not cross streets and alleys.

(i)

Demeanor of pickets, hand-outs prohibited. Pickets may not talk to one another or talk to or gesture to pedestrians. Hand-outs shall not be permitted.

(j)

Pickets to keep moving. Pickets shall keep moving at all time; failure to keep moving shall be an obstruction of pedestrian traffic.

(k)

Picketing in streets. Picketing in the streets and alleys of the city shall not be permitted.

(l)

Violations unlawful. It shall be unlawful for any person to violate any provision of this section.

(m)

Penalty. Any person found guilty of violating any provision of this section shall upon conviction in the Cordele Municipal Court be punished as provided in section 1-13 of the Code of the City of Cordele.

(Code 1977, § 17-12; Ord. No. 0-05-02, § 1, 7-5-05)