Repeatedly annoying or insulting someone in Brighton could get you fined. (That's Brighton, Michigan, US, not Brighton, Sussex, England. Thanks Nell!)
The City Council has passed ordinance amendments aimed at protecting individuals from harassment, intimidation or interference by others in their daily activities.
City Manager Dana Foster stressed that the amended ordinance wasn't adopted to muzzle anyone or infringe on their rights.
The ordinance makes it a civil infraction for a person to "engage in a course of conduct or repeatedly commit acts that alarm or seriously annoy another person and that serve no legitimate purpose." It further makes it illegal to "insult, accost, molest or otherwise annoy, either by word of mouth, sign or motion any person in any public place."
Brighton Police Chief Tom Wightman said violating the ordinance is punishable by fines only. He also said it's not about a single incident but involves repeated acts. It provides several tools we didn't have in the city in the past," Wightman said.
Though a couple City Council members expressed initial concerns about the ordinance - Jim Bohn said it might be too "subjective" - they approved it without dissent. The ordinance takes effect on Jan. 2.
Many thanks Tat!
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