Earlier this week, hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists blocked the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges in New York City as they called an end for Israel’s war against Hamas.
What happened in New York is just a part of the disturbing trend we’ve seen across the country. Too many leftist protesters are deciding to block traffic on highways as a way to get attention.
The state of Alabama needs to send a strong message to any protesters thinking of doing something similar in the Yellowhammer State: If you block traffic, you will go to jail for a considerable amount of time.
On the federal level U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced “The Safe and Open Streets Act”, which would punish those who block public roads with fines or five years of imprisonment.
Blackburn’s bill isn’t just a good idea, but it’s also one that should be reinforced on the state level.
State Rep. Allen Treadaway, (R-Morris) has carried an anti-riot bill the last two sessions. His legislation required mandatory jail time for people arrested under a new definition of rioting. Unfortunately the bill has failed to pass both times. This upcoming session is not just the time to pass that anti-riot bill, but lawmakers need to add a provision that would give any protesters who block traffic at the very least one year of mandatory prison time.
Currently under Alabama law, disorderly conduct is a Class C misdemeanor, with a sentence that can include up to three months in jail and a maximum $500 fine. That’s not good enough. Potential protesters need to know that they will get MANDATORY jail time if they block traffic, no exceptions.
Not only would stricter penalties be a way to get proactive on the issue, but it’s something that would have already made a difference because we’ve already seen activists do this recently in Alabama. Protesters blocked traffic in Decatur just last October over the police involved shooting of Stephen Perkins. It’s time to nip this trend in the bud now.
It should also be noted that these radical activists don’t care about convincing people to join their cause. They want to virtue signal and feel better about themselves. And while I believe they’re radical, I also guarantee you they’ll think twice about doing it if the penalties are strict enough.
I am as big of a believer in free speech as any limited government conservative, but blocking traffic isn’t free speech, it isn’t civil disobedience, it’s a dangerous attempt to undermine civil order, and it shouldn’t be tolerated. You have the right to protest, but you can protest and get your message out without harming everyone else on the road.
Passing stricter penalties on rioters and protesters is not only the right thing to do, but it should be an easy political win for Republicans who stand by the rule of law in this state. I hope Gov. Kay Ivey and the rest of the leadership make this a priority next session.
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee
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