FL: Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs Controversial Bill Restricting Protesters into Law

[lfromnj]

Was the expanded self defense in manner of property rights included? I remember that was a suggestion a few months ago.

[lfromnj]

What does the bill actually prohibit?  Here in Seattle we've had to deal with near-daily protests, sometimes they don't even have an actual purpose it's just protesting for the sake of protesting.  And they cause tons of property damage, hide their identities, attack businesses and random people, and most notoriously shut down freeways.  The shutting down of freeways became a routine thing last summer when WSDOT would just shut down the highway for a couple miles around the protest line and redirect traffic until they went away.

I would support a bill that put a stop to all that crap.  I'm assuming since this is the awful state of Florida that this bill does a lot more and restricts totally reasonable things.

Isnt the issue not the law code but the fact the DA doesn't prosecute anyone ?

[lfromnj]

Interesting, it allows for victims of riots to sue the local government in the scenario of gross incompetence. 

[lfromnj]

https://www.wfla.com/news/polk-county/desantis-expected-to-sign-controversial-anti-riot-bill-in-polk-county/

Here's the main stuff the bill does.

Make it more difficult for cities and counties to reduce funding for law enforcement, allowing local elected officials to challenge those budget decisions, and giving the state power to approve or amend the local budget

Allow those local governments to be sued if they fail to stop a riot

Define “riot” as a violent public disturbance involving 3 or more people acting with common intent resulting in injury to others, damage to property, or the imminent danger of injury or damage

Enhance penalties for people who commit crimes during a riot

Create a new second-degree felony called an “aggravated riot,” which occurs when the riot has more than 25 participants, causes great bodily harm or more than $5,000 in property damage, uses or threatens to use a deadly weapon, or blocks roadways by force or threat of force

[lfromnj]

https://www.wfla.com/news/polk-county/desantis-expected-to-sign-controversial-anti-riot-bill-in-polk-county/

Here's the main stuff the bill does.

Make it more difficult for cities and counties to reduce funding for law enforcement, allowing local elected officials to challenge those budget decisions, and giving the state power to approve or amend the local budget

Allow those local governments to be sued if they fail to stop a riot

Define “riot” as a violent public disturbance involving 3 or more people acting with common intent resulting in injury to others, damage to property, or the imminent danger of injury or damage

Enhance penalties for people who commit crimes during a riot

Create a new second-degree felony called an “aggravated riot,” which occurs when the riot has more than 25 participants, causes great bodily harm or more than $5,000 in property damage, uses or threatens to use a deadly weapon, or blocks roadways by force or threat of force

Civil immunity for not "stopping a riot". So ganar the days of police commanders an officer showing restraint, seeking to contain protesters and rioters, keep their head down, prevent injury to other persons oh, and wait until the crowd fins out and clear the streets. Now, the Florida legislature has Dean that police commanders need to wait in early swinging batons with riots to break them up aggressively or else the city will get sued. What could possibly go wrong creating a direct Financial incentive for City leaders to bring the hammer down on protesters immediately and aggressively. Which of course is exactly what are little Florida neo-fascist legislature wants.

I would have to see the exact language but I really don't like this thumbnails description of 3 people acting with common intent that results - - keyword results - - in property damage or physical harm. It sounds like if you're part of the a protest and one of the other individuals causes damage, you are now legally liable for the actions of someone else without engaging in illegal activity yourself. Just being in a crowd of three or more where someone else appears sufficient. If so, that is God awful and unconstitutional.

As far as I understand the bill did remove the expanded stand your ground law proposed in November which legalized the shooting of looters by private citizens.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/florida-self-defence-laws-ron-desantis-looting-riots-mob-b1721320.html

If the government refuses to allow one to protect your property then they should be taking management of said protection. They have taken their duty and failed. Either legalize shooting looters or keep liability for weak local governments.

This part of the law seems like a very good compromise in order to prevent vigilantism while still protecting people's property.

[lfromnj]

Right-wing conservatives are here to convince you that murder is an appropriate response to property damage, but property damage isn't an appropriate response to murder.

They removed that part of the law actually which legalized shooting looters.