Walla Walla mayor addresses hate-filled chalking downtown
By Dan Thesman on Friday, December 20th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – For months now, members of the Walla Walla City Council and city staff have received emails and phone calls asking the city to take action to prevent the chalking of hate-filled messages on downtown city sidewalks. Following public comments at the start of Wednesday’s city council meeting, Mayor Tom Scribner addressed citizen’s concerns.
Scribner said that City Attorney Tim Donaldson is working on a proposed solution.
“The city attorney is looking at the various cases dealing with this First Amendment chalking issue and hopes to have something for us early next year, in January, that the council will discuss,” Scribner said.
In his remarks, Scribner said Donaldson’s proposal may not meet everyone’s satisfaction but wanted the citizens to be aware that regarding the chalking of hateful messages, “The city is taking it seriously; they’re hearing from you.”
Once the city council receives the city attorney’s proposal, Scribner said citizens will have a chance to comment on it.
