St. Charles, Mo. ? The American Civil Liberties Union plans to sue to block an ordinance banning protests near funerals in St. Charles County.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the council voted Monday to adopt the ordinance. Councilman Joe Brazil says the goal is to keep grieving families free of harassment.

ACLU attorney Tony Rothert says he had hoped the council would wait until the courts ruled on a Nebraska law that the St. Charles County measure is patterned after.

Members of Westboro Baptist Church, based in Topeka, Kan., frequently hold anti-gay signs at the funerals of soldiers, contending that their death is God’s punishment for what they see as the nation’s tolerance of gays.

Earlier in November, a judge signed a consent agreement barring the St. Francois County, Mo., sheriff from enforcing a protest ban at funerals.