Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday introduced legislation that could remove legal repercussions for those “fleeing” from a “mob” by using their cars to run over protesters at demonstrations.
DeSantis included the provision as part of a new law dubbed the Combatting Violence, Disorder and Looting and Protecting Law Enforcement Act. One part of the law aims to criminalize certain protests occurring on roads, creating a third-degree felony for those who “obstruct traffic during an unpermitted protest, demonstration or violent or disorderly assembly,”
“[The law will] require a felony if you incapacitate any of the roadways,” DeSantis said during a press conference. “We see people take over interstates. That is absolutely hazardous. It’s not fair to motorists who get caught up in that, so that will be unacceptable.”
While protesters blocking traffic would be potentially be committing a felony, the law would could also make it legal to commit what might otherwise be considered vehicular murder or manslaughter.Ads by scrollerads.com
“Driver is NOT liable for injury or death caused if fleeing for safety from a mob,” the proposal states.
The proposal does not include any definition of what constitutes a “mob.” Andrew Gillum, the Democratic former mayor of Tallahassee who narrowly lost to DeSantis in the 2018 election, called for legal action to stop the governor while noting that the law could effectively legalize murder in some instances.
“This legislation would have legalized the murder of Heather Heyer in Charlottesville,” Gillum tweeted, referring to the 2017 incident that saw a white supremacist drive his car into a crowd of counterprotesters during a Virginia “Unite the Right” rally.
