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(Edison, NJ) – The flags can once again fly at Town Council meetings in Edison, New Jersey. Recently, the town rolled out a new effort, Ordinance 2239, to get more control on their public meetings which have gone haywire in the past.
The ordinance banned any speakers at the podium to bring any “props” during their address – including flags and the US Constitution. It also limited the amount of time that speakers were allowed. The prop ban spurred outrage.
On Monday, a local attorney was removed by police after bringing a flag to protest the new rule. Free speech advocates quickly chimed in with the advocacy group, The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), saying they would take legal action against the law. That prompted the Council President Nishith Patel to clarify that the flag is not “banned” from the council chamber. However, Patel says there are no current efforts to repeal that ordinance.
