City seeks to ban signs, flags on poles in Council Chambers [Video]

Lynchburg City Council is considering changing the rules of conduct at its meetings that would prohibit members of the public from bringing signs attached to stakes or flags on poles into Council Chambers out of fear they could be used as weapons.

Council staff said the prohibition of signs attached to stakes and flags on poles was recommended by Lynchburg Police Chief Ryan Zuidema as a safety measure to protect people who attend a council meeting.

“We’re in a whole different time with some of the things that we’ve seen in our chamber,” Lynchburg Mayor Stephanie Reed said at the council’s work session on Tuesday.

“Nationally, we are seeing some pretty heated things happening,” Reed said. “And if our chief is recommending us look at additional layers of safety for our fellow citizens that are coming in, …