Manassas to restrict panhandling at key intersections

Manassas will restrict panhandling at 16 intersections in the city.

These intersections have been ranked among the most dangerous intersections in Manassas, based on vehicle crashes, injuries and property damage worth more than $1,500 stated city council documents:

Liberia Avenue at Centreville Road
Liberia Avenue at Euclid Avenue
Liberia Avenue at Signal Hill Road,
Liberia Avenue at Prince William Parkway/Wellington Road
Liberia Avenue at Mathis Avenue
Liberia Avenue at Richmond Avenue
Prince William Street at Grant Avenue
Church Street at Grant Avenue
Nokesville Road at Godwin Drive
Mathis Avenue at Sudley Road
Sudley Road at Digges Road
Sudley Road at Plantation Lane
Centreville Road at Breeden Avenue
Ashton Avenue at Cockrell Road
Ashton Avenue at Godwin Drive
Centreville Road at Kincheloe Drive

These changes come after two federal court decisions in Virginia that aim to restrict a locality’s ability to limit panhandling.

The United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that panhandling is protected under the First Amendment, and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia stated that Henrico County’s ban on panhandling was too broad, stated city council documents.

According to city council documents, the restricted panhandling must be considered ‘aggressive’ which is defined as:

(a) Approaching or speaking to a person, or following a person before, during or after soliciting, asking or begging, or continuing to solicit the person being solicited after the person has made a negative response, if that conduct is intended or is likely to cause a reasonable person to

2 (i) fear bodily harm to oneself or to another, damage to or loss of property, or the commission of any crime, or (ii) otherwise be intimidated into giving money or other thing of value;

(b) Intentionally touching or causing physical contact with another person or an occupied vehicle without that person’s consent in the course of soliciting, asking or begging;

(c) Intentionally blocking or interfering with the safe or free passage of a pedestrian or vehicle by any means, including unreasonably causing a pedestrian or vehicle operator to take evasive action to avoid physical contact; or

(d) Using obscene or abusive words or violent or threatening gestures toward a person solicited.

The Manassas City Council read through the new ordinance on July 13, and will read through it a second time before approval on July 27, according to Manassas City Clerk Andrea Madden.