In the summer of 2020, we saw just how damaging riots can be.
Following the death of George Floyd, Antifa and Black Lives Matters rioters disrupted numerous American cities and suburbs, looting, setting fires, and interrupting normal life.
Florida and several other states have helped push back against that, making laws against unlawful assembly. Now, North Carolina is taking a big step forward with an anti-rioting bill set to soon become law.
House Bill 40 Set To Become Law
North Carolina is run by a Democrat by the name of Roy Cooper. As governor, Cooper has preferred to cower to the woke mob and he’s refused to take a stand on this bill.
House Bill 40 that would give bigger punishments for taking part or starting riots was first put before Cooper on March 10.
At the time he refused to pass the bill or veto it, saying it was a waste of his time and he’s already vetoed a bill along the same lines in 2022.
Saying that rioting is “already illegal,” Cooper stated he saw no reason to be upping penalties and, in fact, foresaw real issues of how House Bill 40 could cut into First Amendment (free speech) rights.
Cooper also said because it will impact “communities of color” more than anyone else, he has no interest in making Bill 40 law.
In other words, if the bill were stopping more people like those who took part in the January 6, 2021 protests and riots he’d be all for it, but because it might hit BLM rioters he won’t touch it.
Well, Cooper’s going to get some bad news…
NC House has approved HB 40, a bipartisan bill to address rioting and civil disorder. #ncpol pic.twitter.com/xKBnXUANR2
— Speaker Tim Moore (@NCHouseSpeaker) February 8, 2023
The Bill’s Going To Pass Anyway
The bill was vetoed as House Bill 805 last year, but this new bill is set to pass by normal measures in the statehouse.
It includes stricter penalties especially for those who are armed during riots and for anybody who hurts or kills anyone in a riot. It also allows those suspected of starting or being in a riot to be held by cops for up to 24 hours before being charged.
The bill does not allow you to be charged if you’re present at a riot, but not being violent in any way.
Both Democrats and Republicans who support the bill have been cheering the fact that it’s passing without any need for Cooper’s input.
@CrawfordForNC releases statement regarding House Bill 40 In the General Assembly “we must reject House Bill 40 as it disparages Black Americans and other marginalized groups of their right to peacefully assemble and protest.” #ncpol #ralpol pic.twitter.com/zOoz5NSKTp
— CrawfordforNC (@CrawfordForNC) March 19, 2023
The Bottom Line
Peaceful protest is protected under US law. Rioting is not.
The riots of 2020 have still never really been reckoned with in America up to this day and the trauma they caused continues to be downplayed.
The American people were gaslighted on a monumental scale and then told to shut up as screaming hooligans tore the country apart during the height of the pandemic.
Rioting needs to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Case closed.
This article appeared in FreshOffThePress and has been published here with permission.
