GQP Legislatures Protect Drivers Who Hit BLM Protestors

There has been a nationwide effort by Republicans to criminalize Black Lives Matter protestors, but not the white supremacist MAGA/QAnon domestic terrorists who engaged in a seditious insurrection against the Capitol on January 6, and stormed at least one state capitol building in Michigan last year as a rehearsal.

Back in February I told you the Arizona House Votes To Criminalize Public Protests (Just For Black Lives Matter).

Rep. Bret Roberts, R-Maricopa, is the main sponsor of both the anti-rioter bill HB2309, and the anti-police defunding bill HB2310, and he has the backing of the overwhelming majority of his fellow House Republicans on both. Twenty-six out of the House’s 31 Republicans are co-sponsoring HB2309, and twenty-four are co-sponsoring HB2310.

HB2309 titled “violent; disorderly assembly; public order”, passed the House 31-27 on a party-line vote with two members not voting. The bill has cleared the Senate Rules Committee, but has not yet had a Third Read vote.

HB2310, originally titled “municipalities; counties; law enforcement budgets” now titled “executive orders; review; attorney general”. The bill passed the House 31-29 on a party-line vote, and passed the Senate on a 16-14 party-line vote, as amended. The House again approved the amended bill  31-28, with one member not voting.

HB2309 amends A.RS.§ 13-2906 by adding a new subsection C, which makes obstructing a highway or public thoroughfare a class 6 felony “if the obstruction occurs in the course of committing violent or disorderly assembly.”

I guess we are all supposed to be thankful that Rep. Roberts does not include this provision from other Republican states (it may, however, be included in another bill):

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday signed an ‘anti-riot’ bill that grants civil immunity to drivers who hit protesters and protects police budgets from being cut:

The law, which was designated HB 1, includes a number of measures that crack down on protests in Florida.

It defines a “riot” as a public disturbance involving three or more people “acting with the common intent to assist each other in violent and disorderly conduct” that results in injury to another person, damage to property, or danger of injury or damage.

The law grants civil immunity to people who drive into protesters who are blocking a road, prevents people accused of rioting from bailing out of jail until after their first court appearance, and increases penalties for assaulting law-enforcement officers while engaging in a “riot.”

It also penalizes local governments that interfere with efforts to stop a riot and allows law-enforcement agencies that face funding reductions to file objections.

So now Florida grants a “license to kill” Black Lives Matter protestors? If an African-American driver ran over a MAGA/QAnon insurrectionist rioter attempting to storm the state capitol in Tallahassee for example, would he also have civil immunity? Who are we kidding, that unlucky individual would be summarily executed by the police right there on the spot. It’s Florida for chrissakes.

In a statement to NBC News last week, DeSantis said the legislation “strikes the appropriate balance of safeguarding every Floridian’s constitutional right to peacefully assemble, while ensuring that those who hide behind peaceful protest to cause violence in our communities will be punished.” But critics say the legislation, and similar bills in several other states, are part of crackdown efforts after a summer of social-justice protests nationwide, according to Pensacola News Journal.

Last week the Oklahoma legislature passed a similar, bill and sent it to the governor for his signature. Oklahoma bill granting immunity to drivers fleeing riots heads to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s desk:

Oklahoma’s Legislature on Wednesday gave final passage to bills that seek to crack down on protests and prevent outbursts in local public meetings.

Several bills, including a measure that would grant civil and criminal immunity for drivers who unintentionally injure or kill protesters while “fleeing from a riot” now head to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s desk.

The Senate gave final passage to House Bill 1674 by Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, and Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, that protects drivers if they feel fleeing from a riot is necessary to escape serious injury or death.

Standridge said lawmakers support the right to protest, but there are concerns when protests turn into riots.

He cited an incident in Tulsa where a  pickup pulling a horse trailer drove through a group of Black Lives Matter protesters demonstrating on a highway. Several protesters were injured, including a man who was paralyzed from the waist down after falling from an overpass. [Read the report].

“We actually saw this happen here in Oklahoma last year when a Tulsa family was surrounded by rioters,” Standridge said in a statement. “Through no fault of their own, they were caught in a dangerous situation, and fearing for their lives, they were attempting to get away. The prosecutor declined to file charges, but that may not always be the case.

“This bill will protect innocent people trapped by a rioting mob.”

Sen. Kevin Matthews, D-Tulsa, expressed concerns that HB 1674’s definition of a riot is too broad and could include nonviolent protests.

He agreed nobody should attack cars or threaten Oklahomans, but warned HB 1674 takes things too far.

“Riot” is a sensitive word in Oklahoma, said Matthews, who leads the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission. For years, the Tulsa Race Massacre was referred to as a riot, and many Black Tulsans are still reeling from that event, in part, because many insurance policies at the time excluded riot damage from coverage.

Matthews also chastised the Legislature for cracking down on protests in the wake of widespread Black Lives Matter protests and expressed concerns that the legislation would disproportionately harm Oklahomans of color, many of whom feel protesting is the only way they can seek justice.

“It’s not cute, and it’s not cool that we’re trying to address what happened across America in passing every piece of legislation to keep people from protesting when African Americans are killed unarmed,” Matthews said.

UPDATE: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) on Wednesday signed a bill that protect drivers who unintentionally injure or kill protesters while attempting to flee their demonstration. Oklahoma gov signs bill that provides protections for drivers who hit protesters blocking roadways.

100 years after the Tulsa Race Massacre, the worst incident of domestic racial terrorism in the history of the United States, attitudes have not changed much in Oklahoma.

CNN reported About 93% of racial justice protests in the US have been peaceful, a new report finds. “About 93% of racial justice protests in the US since the death of George Floyd have been peaceful and nondestructive, according to a new report.”

These Republicans do know that there were a substantial number of white people, often the majority, who were Black Lives Matter protestors?

BLM protests last summer were infiltrated by Boogaloo Bois and Proud Boys to instigate violence. Far-right extremists keep showing up at BLM protests. Are they behind the violence?

Experts say that in many states, far-right extremists, fresh from recruiting at “open states” rallies during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, continue to inject themselves into the protests, creating a potential powder keg as they mix with Black Lives Matter demonstrators.

What makes the situation so volatile, those monitoring the protests say, is that there are so many agendas at play that it’s hard to tell who’s on what side. In some cases, they say they’re seeing a bizarre alignment between those on the far right, such as militias and the Boogalooers, and Black Lives Matter advocates protesting the death of George Floyd, with anger at police and the government being the common thread.

Devin Burghart, president of the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights, said his organization has found evidence of Boogaloo and other far-right extremist groups at 40 protests related to Floyd’s death, including some in Kansas City and Wichita.

Maybe these Republican legislatures should be focused on the real problem: far-right white supremacist domestic terrorist organizations, militias, Boogaloo Bois, Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, Three Percenters, etc. You know, your base voters.