The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to ban items that could be used as weapons, such as baseball bats, knives, and rocks, in certain areas where border wall prototypes will be built.
An area has been designated in Otay Mesa, near the U.S. Mexico border where large crowds may gather in a "free speech zone."
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials confirmed eight prototypes are under construction in the area including four made with concrete and four using alternate or other materials.
Each will be between 18 and 30 feet high.
County officials said they want to restrict protestors from using any weapons that could be used to disrupt the peace.
The board's unanimous vote gives law enforcement the authority to issue misdemeanor citations to those who bring items that could be perceived as weapons to areas authorities deem to face credible threat for violent demonstrations.
"We need to make sure our law enforcement agencies have the tools they need to protect the people and keep the peace," county Supervisor Dianne Jacob said.
Supervisor Greg Cox said it is important for the county to take precautionary measures since the federal government is moving forward with building prototypes for the border wall proposed by President Donald Trump.
The San Diego City Council passed a resolution last week expressing the city's intent to divest from companies involved in the construction, financing and/or design of the wall.
Prior to restricting any area to the public, though, the county will issue a public notice at least 24 hours in advance.
The companies selected to construct the examples are:
- Caddell Construction Co., (DE), LLC, Montgomery, Alabama
- Fisher Sand & Gravel Co., Tempe, Arizona
- Texas Sterling Construction Co., Houston, Texas
- W. G. Yates & Sons Construction Company, Philadelphia, Mississippi
- KWR Construction, Inc., Sierra Vista, Arizona
- ELTA North America Inc., Annapolis Junction, Maryland
