SHERMAN OAKS—A judge upheld a restraining order on Wednesday, March 1 against a Black Lives Matter activist after being accused of threatening Los Angeles Police Commission President Matt Johnson.

The order prohibits activist Trevor Ferguson, 35, from visiting Johnson’s residence or private office and says he must stay at least 15 feet away from Johnson at commission meetings at LAPD headquarters.

Ferguson is part of a group that regularly disputes the Police commission’s weekly meetings to express outrage at Los Angeles Police Department shootings of African-Americans and Latinos.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Ferguson and others have regularly singled out Johnson, who is one of two black police commissioners on the five-member civilian oversight board. They call him “houseboy,” a derogatory term used for an African-American who is subservient to whites.

“The right to protest has led to tremendous gains for people who look like myself and Mr. Ferguson,” Johnson said. “It’s something I deeply respect. But there is a line, and for me, that line is when you threaten the safety of my family. Like any father, I’m not going to apologize for taking steps to protect the safety of my family.”

Ferguson has denied the allegations. His attorney Nana Gyamfi, argued in court Wednesday that the visits to the office tower and Johnson’s house were part of organized actions involving groups of protestors and noted that no police reports were filed for threatening behavior. Gyamfi indicated that she plans to appeal the order barring Ferguson from having any personal contact with Johnson.