Proposed bylaw to ban graphic anti-abortion posters morphs into general rules for all protest signs

A political push at London city hall to ban the display of graphic anti-abortion posters and other disturbing images has been revamped after threats of a court challenge.

Now Londoners on both sides of the abortion debate are unhappy with the draft bylaw.

Initially, the draft bylaw was intended to restrict the display of graphic images—including fetuses – in public spaces.

However, concern about violating the Charter of Rights and Freedoms has seen the latest version of the bylaw focus only on the size and location of all signs advocating a social or political issue.

A staff report explains, “The regulation of such signs in the draft bylaw is content-neutral, and regulates the size of the signs, where the signs can be located, and prohibits the resting or placing of such signs on the Street.”

“The first thing that comes to mind is overreach,” said John Bulsza, who displays pro-life signs including an image of a fetus at rallies. “The whole issue was about the images, and now they're making it a general application.”

Deanna Ronson, a board member with the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada believes the proposal misses the point of protecting Londoners from the trauma caused by viewing graphic anti-abortion posters.

“This is the whole thing that we've been fighting for since 2020,” Ronson explained. “The harm that these images do to our community.”

The draft bylaw would limit the size of signs to no larger than 0.76 metres (2.5 feet) in horizontal width; 0.91 metres (3 feet) in vertical height; and 0.076 metres (3 inches) in depth.

All advocacy signs would be forbidden within three metres (9.84 feet) of a crosswalk.

Bulsza believes the proposed bylaw might still trigger a Charter challenge, “The reason for the big signs is so that people can actually see the signs from a distance, because the smaller the sign, the harder it is for people to see, harder to get the message across.”

Ronson said if London is going to focus on size, it should follow Calgary’s lead and limit graphic images to no larger than three inches by five inches.

“I'd like to see the committee send this back to staff for a complete overhaul,” Ronson told CTV News.

Coun. Sam Trosow initially called for a sign bylaw that would act in concert with London’s requirement that door-to-door flyers containing graphic images be in an envelope with a warning label.

“I can live with what's been proposed so long as we're very careful to make sure that we may need another exemption. For example, [that] picket signs at any union line are respected,” Trosow explained.

On July 15, the Community and Protective Services Committee will consider scheduling a public meeting on a future date to receive feedback about the draft bylaw.