Florida Supreme Court Backs “Anti-Protesters” Law

Well, isn’t this very timely:

Rejecting arguments that the law is ambiguous, the Florida Supreme Court said Thursday that peaceful protesters are not threatened by a measure that Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Legislature passed in 2021 to crack down on violent demonstrations. DeSantis championed the law after nationwide protests following the 2020 death of George Floyd.

But civil-rights groups filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the measure, contending it could lead to peaceful protesters facing charges when demonstrations turn violent. A federal iudge in Tallahassee, Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker, issued a preliminary injunction against the law in 2021, describing it as unconstitutionally “vague and overbroad.”

The state appealed, but the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals took the somewhat unusual step of requesting help from the Florida Supreme Court with what it called a “novel” issue — how to determine the meaning of the word “riot” in the law.

Read the full article.

The case now goes back to the 11th Circuit Court.

Rejecting arguments that the law is ambiguous, the #Florida Supreme Court said peaceful protesters are not threatened by a measure that @GovRonDeSantis and the Legislature passed in 2021 to crack down on violent demonstrations. https://t.co/kcMJC7Vnv7 via @JSaundersnews

— Craig Pittman (@craigtimes) June 20, 2024

“A peaceful protester, under the most natural reading of the statute, is no rioter. We agree,” the justices wrote. #Florida #BLM https://t.co/SSIUiRIkxx via @FLPhoenixNews

— The Florida Phoenix (@FLPhoenixNews) June 20, 2024

BREAKING: Today, the Florida Supreme Court issued a decision interpreting a key part of H.B. 1, the Florida anti-protest law enacted in 2021 in response to national protests against police violence and in support of racial justice.https://t.co/GQ1MVrTsSp

— ACLU of Florida (@ACLUFL) June 20, 2024

Now in Florida:

– A “riot” is now defined as a gathering with 3 or more people.
– If they’re standing in the street and you feel scared, you can run over literal humans without worrying about a $$ civil lawsuit.
– Statues get legal protections.https://t.co/piMeiE9Mbh

— Tess Owen (@misstessowen) April 19, 2021