(a) Purpose. It is the purpose of this section to protect persons who are picketing in a lawful manner against interference by those who might attempt to intimidate them by violence or by the use of insulting or threatening words or gestures and to preserve the public peace and tranquility at any place where picketing is taking place. It is also the purpose of this section to protect persons who are not picketing and who are acting in a lawful manner against interference by picketers or supporters of picketers who might intimidate them by violence or by the use of insulting or threatening words or gestures.
(b) Requirements. Peaceful picketing in the furtherance of a lawful purpose shall be permitted in the City when it is done under the following conditions:
(1) Picketing may be conducted only upon sidewalks and areas reserved for pedestrian movement and may not be conducted upon the portion of a street used primarily for vehicular traffic.
(2) Not more than ten pickets promoting the same objective shall be permitted to use one of the two sidewalks within any City block at any one time.
(3) Pickets may carry placards or signs, not exceeding two feet by two feet in dimension, which promote the objective for which the picketing is done; provided, that no word, language or illustration thereon is scurrilous or obscene in nature or is calculated to arouse public hatred or anger or tends to incite any breach of the public peace.
(4) Pickets shall walk in single file and not abreast, and shall not be closer together than ten feet, except in passing one another.
(5) If pickets promoting different objectives desire to use the same sidewalk for picketing and such use would result in the presence of more than ten pickets thereon at the same time, the first ten of such pickets shall take precedence over the others, who may apply to the Chief of Police to allot time to each group of pickets for the use of such sidewalk on an equitable basis.
(6) The term “block” means that portion of a street lying between street intersections.
(7) Picketing done contrary to the provisions of this section shall be unlawful.
(c) Prohibited Conduct.
(1) No person shall interfere physically with any picket or other person lawfully present at the scene of any picketing or address profane, indecent, abusive or threatening language or gestures to or at any picket or other person so present or incite any breach of the public peace.
(2) No person shall prevent or attempt to prevent, by the use of force or threat, any other from lawfully entering or leaving at will any factory, store, place of business or other premises within the City.
(d) Unlawful Assemblies.
(1) All assemblages of persons upon the streets, sidewalks or public places in the City, or upon privately owned property without the consent of the owner or person in charge thereof, for the purpose of preventing those having a lawful right so to do from entering or leaving at will any factory, store, place of business or other premises are hereby declared to be unlawful assemblies and are prohibited, and they shall be subject to dispersal by the City police and other law enforcement officers.
(2) All assemblages of persons upon the streets, sidewalks or public places in the City, or upon privately owned property without the consent of the owner or person in charge thereof, for the purpose of intimidating pickets who are lawfully engaged in picketing are hereby declared to be unlawful assemblies and are prohibited, and they shall be subject to dispersal by the City police and other law enforcement officers.
(3) All persons constituting an unlawful assembly as provided in this section shall, upon command of any law enforcement officer, disperse and peacefully leave the scene. (1972 Code Sec. 15-1-1 to 15-1-4.)