18.2-419 - Picketing or disrupting tranquility of home.

§ 18.2-419. Picketing or disrupting tranquility of home.

Any person who shall engage in picketing before or about the residence ordwelling place of any individual, or who shall assemble with another personor persons in a manner which disrupts or threatens to disrupt anyindividual's right to tranquility in his home, shall be guilty of a Class 3misdemeanor. Each day on which a violation of this section occurs shallconstitute a separate offense.

Nothing herein shall be deemed to prohibit (1) the picketing in any lawfulmanner, during a labor dispute, of the place of employment involved in suchlabor dispute; (2) the picketing in any lawful manner of a construction site;or (3) the holding of a meeting or assembly on any premises commonly used forthe discussion of subjects of general public interest.

Notwithstanding the penalties herein provided, any court of general equityjurisdiction may enjoin conduct, or threatened conduct, proscribed by thisarticle, and may in any such proceeding award damages, including punitivedamages, against the persons found guilty of actions made unlawful by thissection.

(Code 1950, §§ 18.1-367.2 through 18.1-367.6; 1970, c. 711; 1975, cc. 14, 15.)