Here Comes the Police State: New Laws Aim for Brutal Crackdown on Protest

[madokie]

Many bills advancing at state level along with executive orders are part of Trump "law and order."

The rise of right-wing populism in the United States—from the White House to state legislatures—has been met with public resistance on a stunning scale. Millions have taken to the streets, staged direct actions and flooded airports to resist a flurry of presidential decrees targeting undocumented, black, refugee, LGBTQ and poor communities. And long before Trump took the White House, the Black Lives Matter movement and indigenous water protectors at Standing Rock were leading the way with sustained mobilizations in the face of staggering repression.

Now, under cover of the Trump administration’s “law and order” platform, Republican lawmakers at the state level—often with the backing of police unions—are advancing a spate of bills aimed at crushing this groundswell. The proposed legislation would impose draconian penalties on protest organizers and participants, expanding local powers to put demonstrators in jail, seize their assets and further criminalize property destruction.

In recent weeks and months, politicians in at least 11 states—Minnesota, Washington, Iowa, Michigan, North Dakota, Indiana, Virginia, Colorado, Missouri, North Carolina and Arizona—have either introduced or threatened to introduce bills that make it more dangerous or costly to attend protests, or be anywhere near them. One bill recently proposed in North Dakota, and clearly aimed at Standing Rock resistance, would have expanded protections for drivers who “accidentally” hit and kill protesters. While the legislation failed earlier this month, it nonetheless reflects a troubling political push to snuff out dissent.

Using racketeering laws to go after protesters’ assets

A bill that just passed through the Arizona State Senate would expand the state’s racketeering laws on organized crime to “rioting,” broadly defined to include acts that result in property destruction. This move would broaden the powers of authorities to target protest organizers and participants—and even seize their assets.

http://www.alternet.org/activism/state-lawmakers-are-brutally-cracking-down-protesters-under-cover-trumps-law-and-order

[Mc Mike]

1. tRump's 'law and order'.

Coming from the crookedest, most mobbed up sob to ever squat in the White House.

[scarletlib]

2. Clearly this is unConstitutional.

1st Amendment: Freedom of Assembly. Don't see how it could possibly stand up under Court scrutiny.

[liberal N proud]

3. By the time trump and the pubes are done, the First Amendment will be gone.

They don't give a shit about the First, and they only used the Second to win votes.
Eventually they will round guns up themselves to maintain law and order.

[HAB911]

8. It is very important everyone support the ACLU, it might be our only defense

[Ligyron]

9. THIS

It takes money to fight a war, and this, for once, is a war worth fighting.

[scarletlib]

12. I renewed my membership in December before Trump took office.

Another great organization is the National Lawyers Guild. Check them out.

I also contributed to NAACP and SPLC.

[Vinca]

4. Sometimes you have to wonder if the entire GOP is in cahoots with Russia.

[RKP5637]

6. You know, I've started to wonder the same at times. It's really really getting weird. n/t

[Augiedog]

15. Sometimes?

[RKP5637]

5. Yep, following the Dictator's playbook well! n/t

[JDC]

7. Pure Fascism. A direct afront to the 1st.

[HAB911]

10. I'm thinking "General Strikes" might be our second line of defense

[AgadorSparticus]

11. Unbelievable. Just, unbelievable.

[orangecrush]

13. Donated to ACLU yesterday

Seemed like a good idea.

[Achilleaze]

14. Kristo-KGOP Krappy Fascism on the march against America

[ananda]

16. ACLU?

Immediate lawsuits I hope!!!