A common tactic of protesters, whether it be Black Lives Matter or whomever else, has been to block major highways in an attempt to get massive media coverage and spread their message throughout America.
Instead of rallying Americans to their cause, these forms of protest have actually turned a great many Americans against the protesters because what they are doing is incredibly unsafe.
One Minnesota lawmaker, Republican state Rep. Kathy Lohmer, has introduced legislation that would increase the penalty for any protesters who tried to block traffic in future protests, KARE reported.
At the present time, blocking a Minnesota highway is a misdemeanor offense which can carry a sentence of up 90 days in jail and/or a maximum fine of $1000. Under Lohmer’s new bill, the charge would be upgraded to a “gross misdemeanor.”
Increasing the criminal penalty to a maximum of one year in jail and a fine of $3,000 could potentially serve as a deterrent to any would-be protester.
“People worry about if they’re in an ambulance trying to get to the hospital, they’re in a car trying to get to the airport or trying to visit someone who’s sick and dying, they can’t get where they need to go,” Lohmer told KARE.
Alpha News MN noted that Minnesota has had to deal with many highway blocking protests recently, included several over office-involved shootings, and an anti-Trump protest in November.
The ACLU and civil rights attorneys have expressed concern over the bill, claiming that it limits the ability of protesters to exercise their rights, CBS Minnesota reported.
Exercising your constitutional right to protest is entirely acceptable, but when you endanger the lives and safety of others while exervising that right then you have crossed a line.
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