Everyone has something to say about the “right” way to protest. But authorities are cracking down on ALL forms of protest! Across the country, they’re using decades-old gang laws to target protesters and undermine First Amendment protections.
And it could get deadly.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis even introduced legislation that would allow drivers to commit vehicular murder against protesters and avoid charges! This would put an even bigger target on our back.
Some states are also targeting civil disobedience.
In Nashville, Tennessee, they’ve targeted a protest encampment demanding justice by threatening protesters with felonies and a possible loss of voting rights.
All of this isn’t new: states have been trying extra hard to criminalize protest in recent years, and it’s not over.
Laws about obstructing traffic, trespassing, and more are being used to jail us. In 2014, a teen named Josh Williams was sentenced to 8 years for lighting a trash can on fire and stealing a bag of chips! He was a first time offender, but criminal records aren’t the point.
It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’re doing if authorities want an excuse to harm you. Unfortunately, states are making it easier for racists and brutal police forces to do so. We have to be careful when we go out – we’re literally fighting for our lives!