Sign bans are troubling signs in Riverhead and Suffolk

Earlier this month, the Riverhead Town board approved new rules for its biweekly meetings. Signs and posters are banned, and speaking time for those who wish to express their opinions to the five-member board is reduced to three minutes from five. These changes may sound generally reasonable, but there is always a First Amendment concern to be considered when commentary is abbreviated in any way.

Cindy Clifford, president of the Heart of Riverhead Civic Association, was among the residents who objected to the sign ban. Some people are too shy to speak from the lectern, she said, and "holding up a sign is how they’ll know that you see where they stand and what they want or don't want. That’s something sending a letter won’t accomplish."

Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard called the signs an unnecessary distraction. Officials said holding them up can block other attendees' views of meetings and that people can still demonstrate in the lobby or outdoors. But would there be any harm in allowing signs in the back rows only? That seems a sensible compromise. The board might well consider amending its policy.

The town policy also now says those who choose to speak should refrain from profanity and vulgar and inflammatory language; racist and sexual slurs; shouting and other interruptions. The three-minute time limit, officials said, is to keep people from rambling on and prolonging meetings. Those two sound legitimate at a time when public debate is vulnerable to descending into exhibitions of invective. But the changes should be watched for whether they end up having a chilling impact on public comment.

Wisely, some problematic provisions were left on the cutting room floor. One would have barred "partisan political commentary" — which could be applied in a partisan way depending who’s in charge. Another would have removed public comments made on Zoom during simulcasts of meetings. The technology provides public access. It should not be used to abbreviate public comment. Suffolk County legislators enacted a similarly over-restrictive sign ban after demonstrators held posters referencing national issues. Brookhaven Town also has restrictions. 

There is a broader concern here. House Republicans have been instructed by their party not to hold in-person town hall meetings. While this is a different matter than government proceedings and hearings, it all touches on how public dialogue is permitted and shaped. Due to digital communications and political polarization, many people with a cause to champion or malign, even a municipal zoning matter, opt for viral video "gotchas" and disruptions over the painstaking work needed to persuade others based on facts. Part of this wider condition stems from a lack of trust that our democratic process will adequately represent the community interest.

For decorum’s sake, and in order to get through the day, elected officials can tweak rules to curb disruption and circuses. But they must do so without violating anyone's right to speech or assembly or those steps will prove counterproductive.