Violation of the protection of peace for mourning at a funeral

1. Law
2. Arkansas Code
3. Criminal Offenses
4. Offenses Against Public Health, Safety, or Welfare
5. Riots, Disorderly Conduct, Etc.
6. Offenses Generally
7. Violation of the protection of peace for mourning at a funeral

1. (a) As used in this section:

   1. (1)

      1. (A) “Funeral” means a ceremony or memorial service held in connection with the burial or cremation of a person who has died in which the family of the deceased has a personal stake in memorializing and honoring the deceased and the desire to be able to mourn in peace during the ceremony or memorial service.

      2. (B) “Funeral” does not include a procession related to the funeral; and

   2. (2) “Picket” means to engage in the activity of protesting or demonstrating to target a funeral without authorization from the family of the deceased.

2. (b) A person commits the offense of violation of the protection of peace for mourning at a funeral if the person:

   1. (1) Knowingly pickets a funeral;

   2. (2) Has a purpose to interfere with the funeral; and

   3. (3) Pickets:

      1. (A) Within three hundred feet (300') of any ingress or egress of the funeral; and

      2. (B) Either:

         1. (i) During the funeral;

         2. (ii) Within thirty (30) minutes immediately before the scheduled commencement of the funeral; or

         3. (iii) Within thirty (30) minutes immediately following the completion of the funeral.

3. (c)

   1. (1) Violation of the protection of the peace for mourning at a funeral is a Class C misdemeanor.

   2. (2) A person commits a separate offense for each funeral that the person pickets in violation of this section.

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