HB 1 is an all-you-can-eat-buffet of everything authoritarian law enforcement officials have been asking for over the past year. The intentionally vague language of HB 1 gives law enforcement discretion over when a “peaceful” demonstration turns into a “riot”. A protest of 9 or more people in the state of Florida which leads to road blockage is now considered “aggravated rioting,” in which attendees risk a second-degree felony for participating. Those arrested at protests can and will be denied bail under the new law, raising the stakes for protest attendees even further. The bill also increases criminal penalties for attending a protest at which violence occurs, and increases felony charges relating to civilian confrontations with police (regardless of who initiated said confrontation). Based on what we’ve seen over the past year with tens of millions of Americans taking the streets t…
