AZ Senate votes to seize assets of protest planners if violence ensues
February 25, 2017 6:27 AM Subscribe
Claiming people are being paid to riot, Republican state senators voted Wednesday to give police new power to arrest anyone who is involved in a peaceful demonstration that may turn bad SB1142 expands the state’s racketeering laws, now aimed at organized crime, to also include rioting. But the real heart of the legislation is what Democrats say is the guilt by association — and giving the government the right to criminally prosecute and seize the assets of everyone who planned a protest and everyone who participated.
Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said that chilling effect is aimed at a very specific group of protesters.
“You now have a situation where you have full-time, almost professional agent-provocateurs that attempt to create public disorder,’’ he said.
“A lot of them are ideologues, some of them are anarchists,’’ Kavanagh continued. “But this stuff is all planned.’’
There’s something else: By including rioting in racketeering laws, it actually permits police to arrest those who are planning events. And Kavanagh, a former police officer, said if there are organized groups, “I should certainly hope that our law enforcement people have some undercover people there.’’
Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said that chilling effect is aimed at a very specific group of protesters.
“You now have a situation where you have full-time, almost professional agent-provocateurs that attempt to create public disorder,’’ he said.
“A lot of them are ideologues, some of them are anarchists,’’ Kavanagh continued. “But this stuff is all planned.’’
There’s something else: By including rioting in racketeering laws, it actually permits police to arrest those who are planning events. And Kavanagh, a former police officer, said if there are organized groups, “I should certainly hope that our law enforcement people have some undercover people there.’’
This post was deleted for the following reason: This is being discussed over here, and it still has to go to the House. If we eventually need a separate space to discuss this, maybe we could get something more in depth, with some legal analysis, etc. -- taz
“You now have a situation where you have full-time, almost professional agent-provocateurs that attempt to create public disorder,’’ he said.
Strictly true, but those people work for the cops.
Given the long history of police infiltration of protest movements, you can already see how this is going to play out. This is effectively a license to target and bankrupt activists and progressives, largely at will.
posted by mhoye at 6:34 AM on February 25, 2017
Strictly true, but those people work for the cops.
Given the long history of police infiltration of protest movements, you can already see how this is going to play out. This is effectively a license to target and bankrupt activists and progressives, largely at will.
posted by mhoye at 6:34 AM on February 25, 2017
The right certainly is running with this "protestors are paid professionals being bussed in" and making it stick.
Money is only speech if you've got all the money, I guess.
posted by mhoye at 6:36 AM on February 25, 2017
Money is only speech if you've got all the money, I guess.
posted by mhoye at 6:36 AM on February 25, 2017
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The right certainly is running with this "protestors are paid professionals being bussed in" and making it stick.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:33 AM on February 25, 2017 [1 favorite]