Chuck DarwinNew protest laws are impacting political demonstrations
While serving in the Florida state legislature, #Randy #Fine helped pass legislation that provides some
๐ protection under certain circumstances to
๐ฅdrivers who hit protesters blocking roadways.
In Congress, the Republican representative has introduced a similar bill
โ what he calls the
โ#Thump #Thump #Actโ
โ for drivers who may encounter protesters in other parts of the country.
โฉโWhen the consequences for inappropriate behavior are severe enough, people will stop doing it,โ Fine said.
โBlocking roads is a form of political terrorism.
๐ฅThey should get run over.โ
โฉFlorida is one of more than a dozen states that have cracked down on protests in recent years,
๐ passing laws that often equate political demonstrations with riots in ways that #First #Amendment experts say could be illegal.โฉโฉ๐ Since 2017, 23 states have passed at least 55 laws to address how and when people can protest,
according to the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law,
which tracks such statutes.
โThe laws do such things as mandate at least 30 days in jail for rioting
โ often loosely defined as a group involved in tumultuous or potentially violent behavior
โ restrict protests on college campuses,
and imprison and fine people who block sidewalks, streets and highways.โฉโฉSome lawmakers like Fine want #federal #legislation that mirrors those efforts.
Among the 16 pending federal bills are proposals to
โฆ๏ธ tighten restrictions on protesting near federal judges, jurors or court staff;
โฆ๏ธstrip nonprofits of their tax status for certain protest-related activities;
โฆ๏ธand block people convicted of rioting from small business aid.
โฉFirst Amendment advocates warn that the patchwork of state laws,
pending federal bills and court battles risk โ ๏ธrewriting the rules of public demonstrations.
There are already laws to prosecute violent behavior,
making these new efforts unnecessary, they say.
โฉThere have been few arrests or prosecutions under the recently passed protest laws,
but free-speech advocates say the measures can be used to #control or #dissuade would-be #demonstrators.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2026/01/02/anti-protest-laws-randy-fine/
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