Georgia House Republicans raise the stakes on rioting

Capitol Beat ^ | 3/1/23 | Dave Williams

[CFW]

ATLANTA – Legislation elevating the crime of rioting from a misdemeanor to a felony cleared the Republican-controlled Georgia House of Representatives Wednesday.

House Bill 505 passed 98-73 along party lines and now moves to the state Senate.

The bill’s supporters cited violent protests last month around Atlanta’s proposed Police Training Center – derided by critics as “Cop City” – in pushing for the measure’s passage. A young protester was shot and killed and a state trooper was shot and seriously wounded during a cleanup operation law enforcement officers conducted to break up a tent encampment at the site.

“We should protect peaceful protesters,” said Rep. J Collins, R-Villa Rica, chairman of the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. “[But] the No.-1 priority for government should be to protect people and property.”

[CFW]

At first glance this would be a good thing, especially to be able to charge out-of-town protesters who travel from state to state to riot over whatever issue seems to have their panties in a wad at the time.

However, as the democrats stated:

"But House Democrats argued the broad way the bill defines “riot” could subject peaceful protesters caught up in a violent demonstration as bystanders to being charged with a felony."

The left could certainly abuse the law by enforcing such laws solely on conservative protesters by having the usual ANTIFA suspects create chaos only to disappear into the crowd leaving the ones who were trying to defend themselves alone to face charges.

[Midwesterner53]

Why not get the story right: The “protester” shot the state trooper before being shot by the other cops. There is a big difference in that version and the attempt to make the thug look innocent in the article.

[Vision]

“A young protester was shot and killed and a state trooper was shot and seriously wounded during a cleanup operation law enforcement officers conducted to break up a tent encampment at the site.”

Liars!

A young “protester” shot and seriously wounded a state trooper and was shot and killed in return, during a cleanup operation law enforcement officers conducted to break up a tent encampment at the site.

[flamberge]

Stricter laws mean nothing if they are not enforced - or are selectively enforced only against opponents of the régime.

This one will be used on parents who show up to protest a school board decision promoting "transgender rights" in the locker rooms. Meanwhile, ANTIFA and BLM "mostly peaceful protesters" who burn down a block of local business will not even be arrested.

ANTIFA depends on tacit approval from local authorities, and they get it, as long as they select the "correct" targets. The police get orders to stand aside, the rioters go to work, and a good time is had by all.

ANTIFA screwed up badly in Atlanta this time, by targeting the police. Game over, real fast.

MOAR LAWS will not fix this. Other measures are required.

[HandBasketHell]

Only thing that would interest me in a GA headline would be:

GEORGIA HOUSE REPUBLICANS VOTE TO OUTLAW DOMINION MACHINES, NO-EXCLUSE MAIL-IN BALLOTS AND DROP-BOXES

Kemp/Raffensperger are rotten to the core. They have done a dirty deal with Dems where they get to keep their cushy state jobs as longs as Dems get the two Senate spots. And we're supposed to believe people in today's political climate 'split their tickets.' Rubbish.

[Organic Panic]

Just like when “news” reporters say something like, “State Trooper shoots and kills black man for broken tail light” leaving out the fact he was shooting a gun at the Trooper.