"I am extremely grateful to the law enforcement community for ensuring this law worked for the people of Missouri," Blunt said. "Their efforts to enforce this good law send a strong message that this state not only supports our service men and women at home and abroad, but that the sacrifices that they make are valued and respected by the grateful people for whom they fight."
Cape Girardeau County authorities successfully enforced the law during Jeremy Shank's funeral in September. Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle, County Sheriff John Jordan and Jackson Police Chief James Humphrey attended this morning's ceremony at the Capitol.
"It is a privilege to be joined today by Prosecutor Swingle and many others who have aggressively enforced this law to ensure that families and communities are protected from the protests of a fringe group that acts with hate and causes pain to those who are mourning the loss of a military hero," Blunt said.
In response to an August protest in St. Joseph at the funeral of Spc. Edward Myers, who died in service to his country while stationed in Iraq, Blunt signed the Spc. Edward Lee Myers Law to enact restrictions on protests in front of or about any church, cemetery or funeral establishment. It made it illegal for any person or group to engage in protest within one hour before and one hour following any funeral service. The governor also signed complementary legislation making it a crime to picket or protest at any location where a funeral is held one hour before and one hour after a funeral.
