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

[Person Man]

TFW you can call the cops on sidewalk counselors at abortion clinics. This is literally forbidden under the new Bill. It is unlawful for two or more people to advocate a viewpoint through “mob intimidation”. Hopefully this gets struck down though.

[Person Man]

I do not want to see an America whose prisons are filled to the brim with political activists.

I’m sure they will learn that they will have to do more than protesting if that happens and that they will have to be conquered than simply silenced. Just as no amendment is absolute, every amendment means something.

[Person Man]

Again, I will put this out there. What do you think liberal state attorneys will do in areas with abortion clinics? There are a few in Florida and they attract sidewalk counselors. If that’s not “mob intimidation” then that alone makes this statute unconstitutional for vagueness.

[Person Man]

Again, I will put this out there. What do you think liberal state attorneys will do in areas with abortion clinics? There are a few in Florida and they attract sidewalk counselors. If that’s not “mob intimidation” then that alone makes this statute unconstitutional for vagueness.

I wouldn't object to providing another tool to prosecutors dealing with "protesters" who menace and harass young women outside of Planned Parenthood clinics. The pro-life movement is responsible for enough threats and violence to justify it.

Reasonable people with anti-abortion views should be able to distinguish between those who hold quiet prayer circles or stand with a sign for a few hours and those who try to intimidate by screaming at people entering the clinic, aggressively following them, or entering the lobby and making trouble.

But even then, where do we draw the line between rioting and protesting and rioting and an insurrection?

[Person Man]

There are certainly things I don't like about this like letting someone run over people blocking a road, meddling in local budgets, or giving special protections to Confederate monuments.

But I fail to see how this violates the 1st Amendment in any way. Destroying property, assaulting people, and blocking public roads have never been protected as "speech" and that is what is given more severe penalties by the "aggravated riot" distinction.

Maybe I'm missing something since almost all the news articles I can find about this just quote a bunch of people telling you how bad it is instead of telling you what it actually does.

There’s more to the bill than that.