LAFAYETTE — At least four times the City Council has tried to figure out what to do about the political gatherings on an overpass above Highway 24, where supporters of former President Donald Trump have held up signs and flags, while nearby residents complain the groups are noisy and threaten the safety of motorists.
The council has had enough, though it is limited in what it can do.
Now it wants the state — which owns the El Curtola bridge — to step in and enforce any rules to help guarantee the safety of motorists who drive underneath during the demonstrations, and who might be distracted by the protesters.
“I don’t care what the protesters are protesting,” Mayor Susan Candell told the council on Feb. 22. “The fact is that they have been there, and that the neighbors feel impacted, is a huge concern to me.”
She added: “What they are doing up there, repeatedly, is illegal. And they refuse to stop that behavior.”
What has made resolving the issue difficult is jurisdiction: Caltrans owns the span, while the California High Patrol is responsible for the safety of motorists passing underneath.
But both agencies have adopted a hands-off approach to the gatherings.
Meanwhile, Lafayette police park near the demonstrators in case things might escalate.
The council asked city officials to bring back a report on the feasibility of painting curbs red near the overpass to prevent demonstrators from parking nearby. That would also increase visibility for walkers, in the hopes it will make people feel safer when the demonstrations are taking place.
It also called for a resolution urging state officials to be more aggressive over any illegal actions on the overpass, such as attaching flags or signs to its fence.
“It’s not the message we are concerned with,” Councilman Carl Anduri said about the protesters, adding: “My concern is safety.”
The council took no formal action, however, but instead asked city staff to return with recommendations on its requests.
The bridge is a regular spot for political demonstrations, which in the past have included some in support of Black Lives Matter and in honor of 9/11 victims. But the site has been dominated by Trump supporters since before the November election.
Some nearby residents say the current demonstrators, who are questioning the results of the presidential election, are intimidating.
“I have felt threatened and have never felt safe,” Amy Norstad told the council. “I do not think it’s a good location for a protest.”
Lisa Disbrow, a Trump demonstration organizer, said she was willing to work with residents to resolve issues.
“We care for the people,” Disbrow said. “We believe in safety.”
Starting in November, because of the increased calls for service, Lafayette police regularly post one to two officers in the area of the overpass during the protests. The events happen about twice each week.
Police Chief Ben Alldritt said 13 collisions occurred on Highway 24 near the bridge from Oct. 1 to Feb. 2. The same number happened from May 1 to Sept. 30 last year.
About half of the accidents happened during the time when protests might have been occurring. The council asked him to come back with more details.
There are varying attitudes in the neighborhood about the protests, Alldritt maintained.
“I think it’s a subjective thing,” he told the council, adding: “Each neighbor feels differently about this.”
The council is expected to again take up the problem of the demonstrations in the next few weeks.
