Nashville's mayor and Metro Council unveil their plan to fight political violence

Driving the news: One proposal would prohibit people from blocking others from entering public buildings.

• Another measure clarifies that face coverings can be worn in public places for religious or health reasons. White nationalist members covered their faces during their demonstrations.
• A third bill bars hanging distracting signs over highways.
• The final proposal bans distributing unsolicited flyers on private property before sunrise and after sunset.

What they're saying: O'Connell said the proposals would boost public safety while protecting First Amendment rights.

• "Political tensions are high, and this legislation will help us discourage behavior that can spark violence," he said in a press release. "When political violence prevents government functions or creates public safety issues, we must have the tools in our toolkit to respond effectively."
• Metro Councilmember Quin Evans Segall, who also worked on the legislation, tells Axios, "We must protect our right to protest, to gather, to stand up and to speak, but we cannot do so effectively when political violence prevents open government, intrudes on our private spaces and creates a public safety issue."

What's next: The legislation is scheduled to be considered in September.