Noise ordinance and first amendment rights

[Anonymous]

Megaphone sirens are not speech.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Found this thread because I live farther away than OP (on Yuma St) and the sirens have been getting louder. Today I can hear them inside my house.

Is there really nothing that can be done about this?

DC has very prescriptive noise ordinances:
https://dob.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dob/Noise%20Regulation%20Handbook.pdf

Musical instruments, loudspeakers, radio, tape recorder, TV, CD player, stereo, and car stereos, unamplified voices
Maximum Level (in dB): 60 or zone max
Time: Any
Measurement Locations: 1 meter from source

MPD is supposed to enforce this. If they are refusing to enforce, then this constitutes a work stand-down.

Next step is for local residents to file for injunctive relief with the DC Courts for the Mayor's office to act on the issue. So get a local attorney in the neighborhood to draw up an action for relief. The protestors must keep all amplified sound at 60db or less when measured from 1 meter away. If you can hear it on Yuma Street, it's breaking the noise ordinance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Found this thread because I live farther away than OP (on Yuma St) and the sirens have been getting louder. Today I can hear them inside my house.

Is there really nothing that can be done about this?

Do you believe in free speech?

My reading of the noise ordinance is that the protest exception doesn’t apply if there is a noise reading of over 80 decibels inside the nearest occupied residence. I honestly think that this may be the case in the houses nearest the embassy. I’m 6 blocks away and can hear it inside my house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Found this thread because I live farther away than OP (on Yuma St) and the sirens have been getting louder. Today I can hear them inside my house.

Is there really nothing that can be done about this?

Do you believe in free speech?

My reading of the noise ordinance is that the protest exception doesn’t apply if there is a noise reading of over 80 decibels inside the nearest occupied residence. I honestly think that this may be the case in the houses nearest the embassy. I’m 6 blocks away and can hear it inside my house.

It's also unclear if amplified sounds are covered by the First Amendment exception. I would argue that they should not be covered by the exceptions, or if they are covered the hours 7pm-7am should be free of amplified sound. The protestors can still use their voices in the nighttime hours to express their speech.

[Anonymous]

I would just turn them off if there’s nobody even there.

Or if there’s someone there, follow them (pay someone if you need to) and have sirens wailing as close as possible whenever they try to sleep or shop or anything else. What’s good for the goose…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Found this thread because I live farther away than OP (on Yuma St) and the sirens have been getting louder. Today I can hear them inside my house.

Is there really nothing that can be done about this?

Do you believe in free speech?

My reading of the noise ordinance is that the protest exception doesn’t apply if there is a noise reading of over 80 decibels inside the nearest occupied residence. I honestly think that this may be the case in the houses nearest the embassy. I’m 6 blocks away and can hear it inside my house.

It's also unclear if amplified sounds are covered by the First Amendment exception. I would argue that they should not be covered by the exceptions, or if they are covered the hours 7pm-7am should be free of amplified sound. The protestors can still use their voices in the nighttime hours to express their speech.

Because megaphones didn't exist when the Constitution was written?

[Anonymous]

Good! I'm grateful they are doing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good! I'm grateful they are doing it.

Please post your address so I can come sit across the street from you and play a siren all day as protest for whatever cause I can dream up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would just turn them off if there’s nobody even there.

Or if there’s someone there, follow them (pay someone if you need to) and have sirens wailing as close as possible whenever they try to sleep or shop or anything else. What’s good for the goose…

Love this. The only people they are annoying is residents. The embassy can't hear them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good! I'm grateful they are doing it.

I’m sure that it’s winning them a lot of support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good! I'm grateful they are doing it.

What will this accomplish?
I think Bibi is a fascist and consider Israel to be apartheid state but sorry, the war could end today if Hamas called ceasefire and returned hostages. Until the hostages are returned Palestinians will be slaughtered. I hate that but Hamas broke the ceasefire and took hostages. They knew Israel would react this way and are fine with Palestinians deaths.

Stop getting your news from Tik Tok.

[Anonymous]

This is a great thread. From lazy protestors to proposed solutions of telling the embassy there are unattended explosives outside to following people and protesting at their homes, etc.

The legal info has been fascinating and I'm very sorry you are going through this OP. I hope it's resolved soon.

[Anonymous]

Have you gone and talked to the protestors and told them, to their face, how the bullhorns are impacting you and other neighbors? I find that politely shaming someone to their face generally works pretty well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you gone and talked to the protestors and told them, to their face, how the bullhorns are impacting you and other neighbors? I find that politely shaming someone to their face generally works pretty well.

Supporters of terrorism have no shame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you gone and talked to the protestors and told them, to their face, how the bullhorns are impacting you and other neighbors? I find that politely shaming someone to their face generally works pretty well.

Hahaha politely shaming protestors? I'm all for reasonableness, but most protests in DC don't err on that side..I guarantee this group is lawyered up and salivating for someone to "approach" them.