Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Combatting Public Disorder Act, which provides harsher penalties for those “who engage in violent rallies.”
From WFLA:
The bill, which covers 61 pages, makes several changes to Florida criminal and administrative law, and will:
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 riotDefine “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
“We’re not going to let the mob win the day,” declared DeSantis. “The state of Florida takes public safety very seriously.”
Riots, violence, and vandalism continue in Portland, OR, and Brooklyn Center, MN, after a cop allegedly killed Daunte White, a black man.
DeSantis proposed the law in 2020 after George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, MN.
“If you riot, if you loot, if you harm others, particularly if you harm a law enforcement officer during one of these violent assemblies, you’re going to jail,” continued DeSantis.
DeSantis is not fooling around: “If you’re derelict in your duty as a local government, if you tell law enforcement to stand down, then you’re responsible for the damage that ensues. And if someone’s been harmed or their property has been destroyed, then they can sue you for compensation.”
Florida Democrats all of a sudden care about the First Amendment and worry it “will suppress nonviolent demonstrations and minority voices.”
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