The Charleston City Council passed a temporary ordinance that bans protests or picketing at the funerals of the nine people killed in the shooting at the Emanuel AME Church last week, the Charleston Post Courier reported.
The order, which was passed on Tuesday evening, prohibits protestors or picketers within 300 feet of a church or any other building holding a funeral or burial service for an hour before and one hour after the service, reported TIME.
Charleston Mayor Joe Riley said that state law allowed the city council to call a special meeting and approve the emergency 60-day ordinance in the interest of public safety after receiving information that a group may want to protest at one of the funerals, according to New York Daily News.
According to the measure, "The city expects that thousands of individuals will be attending the funeral, memorial or burial services and (it) needs to protect these individuals and property as much as possible."
"When you get the protesters, then you get the counter-protesters," City Police Chief Greg Mullen said. "Our primary focus is the families in their time of grief."
The funeral service for Rev. Clementa Pinckney will be attended by President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
Riley said that the ordinance is needed bearing in mind that there will be nine funerals in the coming days and large crowds are expected to attend the ceremonies.
