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Republicans move to criminalize disruptive protests in multiple states

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https://theintercept.com/2017/01/19...ropose-bills-to-criminalize-peaceful-protest/

(I know some of you hate The Intercept but you can just click the links through to the news sources they're citing...)

- North Dakota has a bill that allows drivers to not be charged with anything if they hit and kill a protester "accidentally"

Republican state Rep. Keith Kempenich, has said that some accidents might occur if motorists “punched the accelerator rather than the brakes,” according to the Bismarck Tribune.

- Minnesota has a bill that would change blocking a freeway to a "gross misdemeanor" which means up to $3000 in fines and a year in jail

- Washington state Republicans are trying to reclassify "civil disobedience" protesting as a felony of "economic terrorism"

- Michigan Republicans passed in December through the House of Representatives (but have apparently shelved... for now) that would increase picketing fines from $1,000 to $10,000 per day, and also repeal the law requiring employers to tell "replacement employees" about an ongoing strike

- In Iowa...
Kaufmann plans to introduce a piece of legislation he’s calling the “suck it up, buttercup bill” when the Legislature resumes in January.

It would target state universities that use taxpayer dollars to fund election-related sit-ins and grief counseling above and beyond what is normally available to students. Those that do would be subject to a budget cut for double the amount they spend on such activities, Kaufmann said. It also would establish new criminal penalties for protesters who shut down highways, like those who briefly closed Interstate Highway 80 in Iowa City during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump last week.


I know it's hard these days, but remember this isn't just about the presidency.
 

Tagyhag

Member
Some NeoGAF posters will celebrate this.

Yep, reading about some of the posts here about getting mad of some of the freeway entrances getting blocked reminded me of this.

latest
 

Zen Aku

Member
When the republicans are bold enough to try and take away your first amendment, whooooo.. dem boys must be out of their minds.

I hope they get major backlash for this.
 

Breads

Banned
What happened to their fetishization of the constitution? You know, their main argument for shutting down any progress in gun safety.

This is unconstitutional.
 
What happened to their fetishization of the constitution? You know, their main argument for shutting down any progress in gun safety.

This is unconstitutional.
Like everything they say, they only say it when it suits them. They're hypocritical bastards, the whole lot.
 

tbm24

Member
The one with regards to no charges if a protestor is killed by a vehicle who somehow doesn't know what the brake pedal is, is incredible. I don't see how such a thing would stand up in court. I don't see how any of these would survive the courts.
 

RDreamer

Member
What happened to their fetishization of the constitution? You know, their main argument for shutting down any progress in gun safety.

This is unconstitutional.

The constitution is cool and all but for them it all went downhill around the thirteenth amendment.
 

bebop242

Member
Suck it up buttercup bill enrages me to no end. Fuck that guy.

I can understand the concern for protests that block traffic but cannot understand the way they are handling it.
 
Gee, guys.

I didn't see this coming at all. I'm shocked that Republicans, who will more than likely be aided by the incoming Pussygrabber in Chief, would want to shut down a fundamental American right.

Who would have thought? I always believed these people were patriots and would be willing to die to protect our democracy!
 
I'm not a fan of protesters shutting down highways but making it legal to hit them is all sorts of fucked up and I can't believe someone would think that that is a good idea. I mean I guess it's more like intimidation but still fucked up
 

cdyhybrid

Member
Shrug. I feel protesting on an interstate/highway is too dangerous for the people protesting and the drivers on the road. And it seems pretty clear that type of protesting is unsuccessful.

The fact that you've heard about it means it was successful.
 

Easy_D

never left the stone age
Taking some big fucking steps into becoming a fascist state there, guys.

I hope the coming 4 years opens the eyes of the masses
 

PBalfredo

Member
For all the handwringing about muslim terrorists, Republicans like these prove themselves to be the real threats to America.
 

Got

Banned
Shrug. I feel protesting on an interstate/highway is too dangerous for the people protesting and the drivers on the road. And it seems pretty clear that type of protesting is unsuccessful.

It seems pretty clear you're woefully ignorant on the issue
 

Hale-XF11

Member
Ah yes, yet another GOP sponsored We-already-got-ours-so-fuck-you bill. There sure are a lot of those bills being written.

4 years to go.
 
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