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[Carcetti]

I'm really not a fan of this bill, but I don't see how a journalist merely covering an event could be sued for money under this.


(emphasis mine)

Journalistic activity certainly is a "lawful purpose".

The definition of an "unlawful assembly" is a bit vague in places, but nothing unusual as far as I see it:

Just on another thread on the front page a bunch of journalists were charged with felonies for covering riots

“Based on the facts and circumstances, we determined that probable cause existed to support the filing of felony rioting charges,” William Miller, a spokesman for the office, said in a statement. “As in all of our cases, we are always willing to consider additional information that people bring forward.”

Simple as that if you have the will and no shame.

 

[astroturfing]

hmm when Trump starts building the wall and people show up to protest, could the government collect money from the protesters to fund the rest of the wall? the more protesters show up the better, just more revenue. same could be applied to oil pipelines, no?

 

[EdibleKnife]

Well, if legal protests are outlawed, there's always masks, covert action, sabotage...

Hell, if that's what it takes to gain rights and an audience in Trump's regime, then that's what it'll take. People who preach about unity and peaceful protest should be the first people vehemently protesting this but if they're unwilling, minorities aren't going to just sit around and hope for table scraps as their rights are stripped.

 

[Nephtes]

Disgusting really...
Republicans are supposed to be about "less government", but here they are, in yet another example of them increasing the size and scope of government.

 

[UberTag]

so what qualifies as an unlawful assembly?

Those Women's Marches on Saturday that inspired people around the world, for one.

Unless they are allowed to arrest anyone protesting, for money.

Winner winner chicken dinner.

 

[_Ryo_]

Of fucking course they're all white.

 

[Lime]

Disgusting really...
Republicans are supposed to be about "less government", but here they are, in yet another example of them increasing the size and scope of government.

Republicans have always been about big security and military (read: state & imperial violence), and no regulations/governmental oversight.

 

[Somnid]

I'm really not a fan of this bill, but I don't see how a journalist merely covering an event could be sued for money under this.


(emphasis mine)

Journalistic activity certainly is a "lawful purpose".

The definition of an "unlawful assembly" is a bit vague in places, but nothing unusual as far as I see it:

It's not that it makes it illegal it's that it incentivises them to find something illegal. "Oh, you trampled the grass, that's defacing public property, unlawful protest"

 

[Air]

Can't say I'm surprised. This is what people voted for. Maybe one day it'll be overturned, but I'm consistently losing hope for people to do that.

 

[Bowler]

I'm pretty sure this is for people burning shit and causing mayhem. Not normal protests or marches.

 

[ColdPizza]

How can 27 people come together and think this is a good idea?

 

[Derwind]

How do they define a lawful protest?

Can I get the government sanctioned list of protest topics & instructions that is acceptable?

This is insane, there are people uninvolved with protests even that get arrested by law enforcement from time to time, so after they attempt to clear the situation up for themselves should they also fear a being put on a list of names for a lawsuit?

This is disgusting, the apathy people must have to elect these pieces of shit is amazing.

I'm pretty sure this is for people burning shit and causing mayhem. Not normal protests or marches.

And the law already deals with people that burn shit & cause mayhem. This is simply targeted at protests that are arbitrarily deemed as unlawful.

 

[Lime]

I'm pretty sure this is for people burning shit and causing mayhem. Not normal protests or marches.

.

The First Amendment does have boundaries, and some demonstrators choose to overstep them, usually through non-violent acts of civil disobedience. But the law already provides restitution as an available remedy to prosecutors: as part of a sentence, a judge can order “…payment of compensation to a government entity that incurs loss as a direct result of a crime.”

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

Oh, that's a police state right there.

Y'all "derogatory name for African Americans" now. Americans have got themselves some new masters, well the world really.

 

[Formless]

btw they have control of that legislature

 

[PopeReal]

All those people protesting really set something off.

They don't want to see that again.

 

[EdibleKnife]

I'm pretty sure this is for people burning shit and causing mayhem. Not normal protests or marches.

HF 322 allows civil litigation for a person’s mere presence at an unlawful assembly. If you’re a journalist documenting the scene of a notable civil rights protest, you can be sued for money by police. If you don’t defend yourself in court, the government will obtain a default judgment against you, and your wages can be garnished, your bank account levied, and your property seized.

If they're willing to include this, they're going to turn their ire on protests and marches

 

[acheron_xl]

Of fucking course they're all white.

Being a Minnesota Republican didn't give that away?

 

[Nephtes]

Republicans have always been about big security and military (read: state & imperial violence), and no regulations/governmental oversight.

...Are you suggesting that the military under Lincoln was really about "imperial violence" rather than keeping the union together and ending slavery? Really?


So yeah, Republicans haven't "ALWAYS" as you say been about imperial violence. And they certainly haven't been about lesser government or ending regulations for some time.

Not the establishment anyway. Oh sure they talk a good game to the base about shrinking government, but they get in office and what do they usually do?
Grow government and create regulations. (Current Trump administration possibly excluded ... But I do really think Trump is not a Republican... He's a populist in disguise).

Anyway, what we have here in Minnesota is absolutely a case of jerk Republicans adding regulations to the books instead of them taking regulations away.
And in this case, regulations aimed squarely at people who feel marginalized and who want to protest about it as is their right under the Constitution who right now happen to be Democrat.

Would this law be in question at the height of the tea party?
I doubt it.

 

[Nordic4tKnight]

btw they have control of that legislature

Only by one in the MN Senate I believe and the Governor is a Democrat.

 

[jimmypython]

Looks like China to me. It is very sad to see America going in that direction.

 

[EdibleKnife]

How can 27 people come together and think this is a good idea?

By every single one having an interest in keeping the disenfranchised disenfranchised

 

[PopeReal]

Looks like China to me. It is very sad to see America going in that direction.

Yep. And our police are already militarized and waiting. They can't wait to try out all that new stuff.

 

[Bad_Boy]

Winner winner chicken dinner.

Then allow me to quote the great Dead Prez.

If we don't get them, they gon' get us all.

 

[The Last Wizard]

Sorry America, but what is going on in your country. Appreciate it's one state, but WTF

White fragility

Look at all them photos lol

 

[Goro Majima]

I wish the article said how likely this is to pass but I didn't see anything. The governor is a democrat but I'm not sure if they have a veto proof majority plus I'm probably typing the wrong words into google to get a definitive answer.

Only by one in the MN Senate I believe and the Governor is a Democrat.

Okay so this isn't passing then

 

[onadesertedisland]

Annnnd... here it is. The law that will be used to silence critics, kill dissent.

 

[A Link to the Past]

Fuck off GOP, get out of my state

...Are you suggesting that the military under Lincoln was really about "imperial violence" rather than keeping the union together and ending slavery? Really?


So yeah, Republicans haven't "ALWAYS" as you say been about imperial violence. And they certainly haven't been about lesser government or ending regulations for some time.

Not the establishment anyway. Oh sure they talk a good game to the base about shrinking government, but they get in office and what do they usually do?
Grow government and create regulations. (Current Trump administration possibly excluded ... But I do really think Trump is not a Republican... He's a populist in disguise).

Anyway, what we have here in Minnesota is absolutely a case of jerk Republicans adding regulations to the books instead of them taking regulations away.
And in this case, regulations aimed squarely at people who feel marginalized and who want to protest about it as is their right under the Constitution who right now happen to be Democrat.

Would this law be in question at the height of the tea party?
I doubt it.

GOP ends regulations that they don't like, and creates those that they do. Just because they're hypocrites doesn't mean they aren't.

 

[EdibleKnife]

Annnnd... here it is. The law that will be used to silence critics, kill dissent.

And even if it doesn't pass in Minnesota, no doubt GOP legislators around the nation and even someone in the Trump cabinet has a template of the bill to introduce it again and again.

 

[Averon]

This is why the Democrats needs to get their shit together and start winning back state legislatures and win local elections. Some of the most heinous shit from the GOP start at the state level.

 

[everyday math]

You've got work to do Minnesota

 

[WedgeX]

Unconstitutional bullshit.

 

[Lime]

Great work by protesters already: https://twitter.com/nifkinjuice/status/824279903843520514

 

[Damaniel]

How can 27 people come together and think this is a good idea?

Twenty-seven Minnesota legislators—all Republican

That's how - no further explanation needed.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Good question. There were minimal arrests during that protest, so where would the money come from? The state tax payers?

Unless they are allowed to arrest anyone protesting, for money.

Step 1. Implement new law that lets the government sue people for costs associated with unlawful protests.

Step 2. Stop issuing permits for protests so they all become unlawful.

Step 3. Arrest tons of people at unlawful protests and sue the shit out of them and the organizers.

 

[Ac30]

This is just in Minnesota right?

They just gave the House an idea for a cool new bill

 

[brochiller]

Get in power then use that power to make sure you will never leave. Anybody who says facism is a stretch are just as out of their mind as these lawmakers.

 

[Prototype Viktor]

One of those 27 has black hair, we know where his ancestors go into

 

[Rogan]

Great work by protesters already: https://twitter.com/nifkinjuice/status/824279903843520514

That was very powerful. Wonder how these legislators will sleep after this. Pretty painful.

 

[Mahonay]

Fuck every single person who signed this. Literal fascists.

 

[Jarmel]

This is going to get struck down by the Supreme Court if it even gets that far.

 

[Eylos]

this is pure fascism

 

[Tallshortman]

This won't pass anyway, just disgusting grandstanding.

 

[TheOctodad]

This won't pass anyway, just disgusting grandstanding.

Doesn't matter, it's a threat. Minnesota has been traditional blue but more moderate as a whole. This is a clear sign that some house cleaning needs to happen in 2018/2020. But for Republicans this is a signal to push out the Dems and make MN a red state.

 

[SpiralZilla]

...Are you suggesting that the military under Lincoln was really about "imperial violence" rather than keeping the union together and ending slavery? Really?

Just an FYI, but Lincoln's Republican party became today's Democratic party (a bit oversimplified, but that's the gist of it).

 

[Peltz]

I believe that may be be found unconstitutional if challenged.

 

[efyu_lemonardo]

Fascism and capitalism had a baby.

Pretty much. This is a flavor of oppression I've not seen before.

 

[trifelife]

The notion of this is absolutely disgusting, and the legislators should be deeply ashamed of what they're trying to do. Goddamn.

 

[PopeReal]

Great work by protesters already: https://twitter.com/nifkinjuice/status/824279903843520514

Holy shit, this guy and the protesters with him are awesome. Great job.

 

[Fancyarcher]

The notion of this is absolutely disgusting, and the legislators should be deeply ashamed of what they're trying to do. Goddamn.

You're assuming that Republicans actually feel shame. I don't even think they actually have souls.