Local activist types of all political persuasions aren't going to like this.

The city is proposing a bylaw that would require protesters to get a permit — and even insurance — if they want to hold any kind of demonstration at city hall. And city hall, under the bylaw, includes much more than just the steps of the building. It also includes all the sidewalks surrounding city hall, as well as a bunch of the +15 system.

Handing out "pamphlets, leaflets, newspapers or magazines" anywhere in this area is forbidden under the new rules. Same with collecting signatures for a petition.

In other words, you wouldn't be allowed to pace around with a sign and hand out flyers on the sidewalk in front of city hall (alongside Macleod Trail).

To hold a demonstration, you may need to get insurance first — that's "at the discretion of the City Solicitor," according to the proposed rules. If you successfully get a permit to hold your protest, you have to make sure it all stays within the borders of the "permit zone," which is shown here:

The complex manager can change the permit zone boundaries "if special circumstances exist to justify the changes."

He or she can also give permission for people to hand out leaflets or collect signatures for a petition if the manager decides "that special circumstances exist to justify the activity." Doing this stuff without permission comes with a $100 fine.

City administration says the current City Hall Complex Bylaw doesn't "adequately address current security issues, security design and the management of Municipal Complex activities. The proposed bylaw reflects a commitment for public access and provides an opportunity to establish effective safety measures and regulations that support and respect activities that occur in and on the Municipal Complex."

The proposed bylaw is going before the Standing Policy Committee on Community and Protective Services today. Ald. Ric McIver — who isn't on the eight-member council committee — has already called the plan "ridiculous." 

"Let's support freedom of speech," he wrote on Twitter earlier this morning. If the committee approves the bylaw, it will still have to go before council.

What do you think? Do the new rules reflect a commitment to public access, as the city says — or something else?

(As a funny aside, the proposed bylaw also forbids people from using "profane or indecent language" anywhere at city hall — inside, outside, on the sidewalk, anywhere. Not sure if that's already in the old bylaw or not, as it's not online. Regardless, it's another $100 fine under the new rules. I'd like to see if the mayor and aldermen could follow that one. I'm thinking that's pretty unlikely...)