The Spartanburg City Council gave unanimous approval at its Sept. 22 meeting for an ordinance aimed at curbing hate crimes.

Passage of the measure makes Spartanburg one of more than 20 municipalities in the state to adopt a hate crimes ordinance. The state of South Carolina is one of two states nationally without such a law.

The Spartanburg Initiative for Racial Equity Now, or SIREN, along with state Rep. Rosalyn Henderson-Myers and community activists, had been pushing for the ordinance in recent months.

But the Sept. 22 meeting drew a number of speakers who voiced their opposition to the idea.

State Rep. Josiah Magnuson and Rep. Sarita Edgerton addressed council members, raising concerns about government overreach and infringement on free speech rights.

Edgerton compared hate crime

See Full Page