Several states introducing legislation to criminalize protests
Sarah Lee 6 hours
A rally against Donald Trump stretches a few blocks along Central Park West in New York, Monday, Feb. 20, 2017. People unhappy with President Donald Trump's policies are attending a "Not My Presidents Day" rally near a Trump hotel. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
In the wake of almost monthly protests across the nation, GOP lawmakers from several states have passed or drafted bills that would criminalize or penalize what one state is calling “professional” agitating.
According to a report from The Hill, some states like North Dakota, South Dakota and Tennessee have either already passed bills that would allow them to “stiffen penalties against protests,” or have gotten bills through the first set of hurdles in their state Senate. Other states, such as Arizona and Minnesota have either introduced legislation or have made anti-protest bills a priority for the legislative agenda the coming year.
The Hill reports:
The four new laws signed Thursday by North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) were passed under emergency provisions that allow them to take effect immediately. The new measures “increase sanctions for offenses related to riots and broaden the definition of trespassing, allowing law enforcement officers to issue citations and fines,” according to The Hill.
Similar laws being considered in other states include:
According to The Hill, civil libertarians are worried the measures are unconstitutional overreactions and a violation of the right to assemble.
“Robust protest activity is a sign of the health of our republic. Our democracy is literally designed for citizens to get out in the streets and make their voices heard to their legislators,” said Lee Rowland, a senior attorney with the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy and Technology Project.
On Tuesday, Trump said on Twitter that protesters at Republican town halls were “liberal plants.”
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/02/25/several-states-introducing-legislation-to-criminalize-protests/
Sarah Lee 6 hours
A rally against Donald Trump stretches a few blocks along Central Park West in New York, Monday, Feb. 20, 2017. People unhappy with President Donald Trump's policies are attending a "Not My Presidents Day" rally near a Trump hotel. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
In the wake of almost monthly protests across the nation, GOP lawmakers from several states have passed or drafted bills that would criminalize or penalize what one state is calling “professional” agitating.
According to a report from The Hill, some states like North Dakota, South Dakota and Tennessee have either already passed bills that would allow them to “stiffen penalties against protests,” or have gotten bills through the first set of hurdles in their state Senate. Other states, such as Arizona and Minnesota have either introduced legislation or have made anti-protest bills a priority for the legislative agenda the coming year.
The Hill reports:
The North Dakota effort grew out of the protests surrounding the Dakota Access pipeline, where activists had taken up residence in the District of Cannon Ball, North Dakota. They spent months voicing opposition to a 1,000-mile underground oil pipeline that some native groups and protestors feel poses an environmental threat. A group organized on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation successfully sued for an injunction to halt construction, and a protest at the site during that process garnered worldwide attention. In January, the local Sioux tribe issued a statement asking the protesters to vacate.The wave of bills come after high-profile protests including the Occupy movement, Black Lives Matter, and the Women’s March on Washington, which took place the day after Trump’s inauguration.
The women’s march drew more than 3 million participants in cities across the nation.
The four new laws signed Thursday by North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) were passed under emergency provisions that allow them to take effect immediately. The new measures “increase sanctions for offenses related to riots and broaden the definition of trespassing, allowing law enforcement officers to issue citations and fines,” according to The Hill.
Similar laws being considered in other states include:
- South Dakota state senators on Thursday passed a bill that gives the governor the power to create a “safety zone” in emergency situations, with fines as punishment for violations.
- Minnesota lawmakers plan to make resolutions punishing protestors who block access to highways a top priority this legislative session.
- Arizona Republicans are trying to expand racketeering laws that would give authorities more latitude to arrest and seize assets of those who organize protest events.
- Tennessee introduced a measure, sponsored by state Rep. Matthew Hill (R), that gives give civil immunity to a driver who hits a protester blocking traffic after a car hit volunteers helping protesters cross a street in Nashville as they demonstrated against President Donald Trump’s travel ban executive order.
According to The Hill, civil libertarians are worried the measures are unconstitutional overreactions and a violation of the right to assemble.
“Robust protest activity is a sign of the health of our republic. Our democracy is literally designed for citizens to get out in the streets and make their voices heard to their legislators,” said Lee Rowland, a senior attorney with the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy and Technology Project.
On Tuesday, Trump said on Twitter that protesters at Republican town halls were “liberal plants.”
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/02/25/several-states-introducing-legislation-to-criminalize-protests/
Today at 8:19 am by Rocky
» Amending the budget for social care and the disabled
Today at 8:18 am by Rocky
» A proposal to appoint social welfare beneficiaries to the security services
Today at 8:17 am by Rocky
» Calls for “regionalization” are outbidding and personal interests
Today at 8:15 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance: Traffic fines will increase the state budget
Today at 8:14 am by Rocky
» Support the agricultural engineer
Today at 8:13 am by Rocky
» Experts: Activating the industrial and agricultural sectors stops 80% of imports
Today at 8:12 am by Rocky
» Central Bank sales exceed $245 million today
Today at 8:09 am by Rocky
» Today's newspapers are interested in Al-Sudani's assertion that the state of stability achieved in I
Today at 6:16 am by Rocky
» Al-Badran: The reason for postponing the Basra Council session is to give members sufficient time to
Today at 6:14 am by Rocky
» The Contractors Registration and Classification Committee at the Ministry of Planning completed more
Today at 6:13 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Foreign Affairs: We discussed these files with the Romanian Senate
Today at 6:12 am by Rocky
» Baghdad Investment Authority to / Nina /: We will adopt future programming to implement projects and
Today at 6:10 am by Rocky
» Their arms are "electronic flies"... Personalities who lost their positions seek to stir up strife b
Today at 6:08 am by Rocky
» Decrease in dollar exchange rates in morning trading in Baghdad markets
Today at 6:06 am by Rocky
» An international organization: Plans to enhance the livelihood of affected displaced and returning f
Today at 6:04 am by Rocky
» Dozens of factories are halted... Industry: We went into partnership with the private sector to rest
Today at 6:03 am by Rocky
» The Iraqi Communist criticizes the decision to abolish the Kurdistan Parliament quota: positive disc
Today at 6:01 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani confirms Iraq's aspiration for the participation of Azerbaijani companies in construction
Today at 6:00 am by Rocky
» An initiative by the President of the Republic to solve the problem of the region’s salaries
Today at 5:59 am by Rocky
» The Kurdistan government complains about Baghdad’s finances: It is ready to pay 59% of the salaries
Today at 5:58 am by Rocky
» Al-Khanjar: The Democratic boycott of the elections puts the future of Iraq in danger
Today at 5:55 am by Rocky
» Iraq is ranked seventh in the Arab world and 33rd globally in the misery index
Today at 5:54 am by Rocky
» Trade announces the achievement of self-sufficiency in ration card materials
Today at 5:52 am by Rocky
» Finance releases funding for state employees’ salaries for the month of March
Today at 5:51 am by Rocky
» Elon Musk: 20 seats won by Biden and his party with the votes of “illegal immigrants”
Today at 5:50 am by Rocky
» A "paradigm shift" awaits the regions of the belt and outskirts of Baghdad
Today at 5:47 am by Rocky
» “Speicher and Malwiya Fund”..Parliamentary Finance talks about “illegal fees” in state departments
Today at 5:46 am by Rocky
» Government admission of the failure of the meter campaign: Generators’ compliance is “almost non-exi
Today at 5:44 am by Rocky
» Iraq is proceeding with the zero nuclear reactor project.. Find out its details
Today at 5:42 am by Rocky
» The decision to “reduce exports”... “unplanned” production for Kurdistan will cost Baghdad half a bi
Today at 5:41 am by Rocky
» The powers of Kurdistan.. The Federal Court confirms its commitment to what was agreed upon by the “
Today at 5:39 am by Rocky
» Launching funding for state employees’ salaries for the month of March
Today at 5:38 am by Rocky
» Iraq and Syria top the "least safe" Arab countries
Yesterday at 8:23 am by Rocky
» Governor of Baghdad: 20 projects will be included during the current year in the city of Nahrawan
Yesterday at 8:20 am by Rocky
» More than $242 million in central bank sales today
Yesterday at 8:17 am by Rocky
» Advisor: Sudanese is determined to close the displacement file
Yesterday at 8:14 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: The implementation of the 2023 budget witnessed a success that must be invested in
Yesterday at 8:13 am by Rocky
» The Baghdad Council will decide on the nomination of the committees in the coming days
Yesterday at 8:10 am by Rocky
» Al-Samarrai: The Sunni community is not in favor of removing American forces
Yesterday at 8:08 am by Rocky
» A warning from Al-Rasheed to those wishing to apply for advances and loans
Yesterday at 8:06 am by Rocky
» Azerbaijan expresses its desire to participate in the implementation of joint projects in the oil an
Yesterday at 8:05 am by Rocky
» Fuel cards arouse citizens' discontent
Yesterday at 8:03 am by Rocky
» utube 3/18/24 MM&C Iraqi Dinar-- IQD-- Dinar Update -100% Electronic - Real Effective Exchange Rat
Yesterday at 6:21 am by Rocky
» utube MM&C 3/16/24 0:05 / 18:16 Iraq Federal Court Brings - Strength to Financial - Politic
Yesterday at 6:18 am by Rocky
» MM&C 3/18/24 Sudanese Advisor: Iraq will leave government monetary dealing in mid-2024
Yesterday at 6:17 am by Rocky
» A delegation from the Kurdistan government visits Baghdad to discuss the issue of localization of sa
Yesterday at 6:11 am by Rocky
» Director of the Central Oil Company: We are keen to provide the appropriate investment environment
Yesterday at 6:10 am by Rocky
» The Energy Parliament calls for reporting generators violating government pricing
Yesterday at 6:08 am by Rocky
» A representative reveals the fate of the laws of “previous sessions”
Yesterday at 6:07 am by Rocky
» Politician: Coordination holds the keys to resolving the “Parliament Presidency” conflict
Yesterday at 6:05 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: Iraq wants to carry out its peaceful activity in the field of atomic energy
Yesterday at 6:04 am by Rocky
» Including a minister and a parliamentarian... 38 arrest and recruitment orders were issued against t
Yesterday at 6:02 am by Rocky
» Integrity: Citizens’ cooperation resulted in detecting inflation and returning state funds
Yesterday at 6:01 am by Rocky
» Agriculture presents 97 projects to the Ministerial Council for the Economy
Yesterday at 5:59 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: We succeeded in implementing the 2023 budget, and we must continue to complete economic p
Yesterday at 5:58 am by Rocky
» Labor adopts new mechanisms to reduce the phenomenon of begging
Yesterday at 5:57 am by Rocky
» Electronically.. directing the collection of fees tomorrow in an Iraqi governorate
Yesterday at 5:56 am by Rocky
» Held in Brussels.. Iraq receives an official invitation to attend the Nuclear Energy Summit
Yesterday at 5:55 am by Rocky
» Kurdistan has been paralyzed. There has been no liquidity in hand for 50 days, and the truth has bee
Yesterday at 5:53 am by Rocky
» The dollar continues to decline against the Iraqi dinar on the stock exchange and exchange offices
Yesterday at 5:52 am by Rocky
» The Minister of Oil reveals the reasons for Shell’s withdrawal from Nebras: It will be divided into
Yesterday at 5:51 am by Rocky
» The Housing Fund advises loan applicants and launches a link for inquiries
Yesterday at 5:50 am by Rocky
» He stressed that the government’s vision is to make one class not exceed 25 students...Government me
Yesterday at 5:48 am by Rocky
» Al-Hakim and Al-Halbousi stress the importance of choosing a speaker for Parliament in accordance wi
Yesterday at 5:47 am by Rocky
» Iron and Steel Company: Iraq is on the verge of a major industrial revolution
Yesterday at 5:46 am by Rocky
» Economists: Citizens still prefer cash transactions over electronic transactions
Yesterday at 5:45 am by Rocky
» The compass of Iraq's foreign policy in a world of turbulent polarization
Yesterday at 5:43 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance: The federal budget is in the corridors of the Council of Ministers, and there
Yesterday at 5:42 am by Rocky
» Integrity calls on citizens to report the inflation of funds in the sector of the Ministry of Labor
Yesterday at 5:40 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani directs the launch of initiatives for young businessmen and investors
Yesterday at 5:38 am by Rocky
» Representative agriculture emphasizes taking supportive measures for the local product
Yesterday at 5:37 am by Rocky
» An economist calls on the government to support and stimulate the private sector
Yesterday at 5:36 am by Rocky
» Al-Ittihad: Employees and retirees in Kurdistan paid the price of political differences with Baghdad
Yesterday at 5:34 am by Rocky
» Al-Samarrai and Al-Hakim discuss the importance of achieving political and constitutional entitlemen
Yesterday at 5:32 am by Rocky
» Only 23 million dunums. Iraq exploits approximately 50% of its arable land
Yesterday at 5:30 am by Rocky
» Türkiye considers it a political issue.. Where have the negotiations reached regarding Iraq’s water
Yesterday at 5:29 am by Rocky
» Sudanese receives an invitation to attend the Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels - Urgent
Yesterday at 5:27 am by Rocky
» Central Bank sales exceed $240 million today
Sun Mar 17, 2024 7:52 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance calls on the government to expedite sending the 2024 budget to Parliament
Sun Mar 17, 2024 7:47 am by Rocky
» ‘We’re So Sick of It’: Northern Border Crisis Gets Worse
Sun Mar 17, 2024 7:35 am by Bama Diva
» A representative holds Kurdistan responsible for the faltering legislation of the oil and gas law
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:27 am by Rocky
» Warnings of the danger of the increase in foreign labor in Iraq
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:26 am by Rocky
» Iraq's oil exports to America decreased within a week
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:25 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani chairs an “important” meeting to form the Kirkuk government
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:23 am by Rocky
» Investment confirms the adoption of a new method in new residential cities and explains its details
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:21 am by Rocky
» For the first time in 2024.. exchange rates fall to the threshold of 149 thousand in Baghdad
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:19 am by Rocky
» Including gold.. An increase in exports of 3 Turkish products to Iraq during 2024
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:18 am by Rocky
» A detailed integrity report regarding the Housing Fund... called for this matter
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:17 am by Rocky
» Resources count the number of trespassers in Baghdad.. What about restaurants?
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:16 am by Rocky
» At a cost of approximately two billion dinars... determining the completion rates achieved in the Ma
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:15 am by Rocky
» Parliament awaits the “Cabinet of Ministers” law
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:14 am by Rocky
» Provincial councils return after an absence with a heavy legacy
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:13 am by Rocky
» Iraq is the axis and meeting point of East and West
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:11 am by Rocky
» One million beneficiaries of health insurance early next May
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:10 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance: Delaying the budget had a negative impact on the performance of the ministrie
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:09 am by Rocky
» The chaos of urban expansion threatens the agricultural character of Diwaniyah
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:08 am by Rocky
» A project to plant Japanese trees in Erbil
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:07 am by Rocky
» A team to prepare the national strategy for national security in Kirkuk
Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:06 am by Rocky