Oklahoma has adopted a new law that cracks down on what it deems as “rioters” while protecting drivers who injure or kill them.
After being passed by the Oklahoma House of Representatives last month and the state’s Senate last week, House Bill (HB) 1674 was signed into law by Republican Governor Kevin Stitt on Wednesday. It is set to take effect from November 1.
HB 1674 exonerates motorists who “unintentionally” wound or kill someone if they were “fleeing from a riot,” providing the driver exercised “due care” and believed it necessary to protect themselves from serious injury or death.
As for protesters, the legislation states those found to have “unlawfully” obstructed public streets, highways or roads by hindering traffic face a misdemeanor, which carries a one-year county jail term and a fine of up to $5,000.
The law also renders protesters liable for damages to people or property, as the obstruction in question includes “standing or approaching” vehicles and endangering the safe movement of motorists or pedestrians.
HB 1674 stipulates participating in “riotous assembly” aimed to “resist the execution of any statute” or “obstruct any public officer” carrying out their duties carries a two-year minimum and ten-year maximum prison term. People found to have “directed, advised, encouraged or solicited” rioters “to acts of force or violence” face a steeper maximum of 20 years imprisonment.
On the same day, Stitt signed HB 1643, which protects police officers from being doxxed.
The bills were met with outrage from Democratic state officials and activists who believed it would curb the right to protest, as well as offset accountability for violence against protesters and people of color.
Critics also voiced concern that HB 1674 could encourage counter-protesters to deliberately plow into demonstrations. Last May, a truck drove through Black Lives Matter protesters marching on an interstate highway in Tulsa.
KFOR reported protesters opposing the laws were removed from Oklahoma’s House of Representatives chamber on Wednesday.
The American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) Oklahoma chapter accused the state government of “escalating attacks on protests against racism and police brutality.”
“With the stroke of a pen, Governor Stitt has decided to stand on the wrong side of history and threaten one of the most fundamental rights of our democracy,” Nicole McAfee, ACLU Oklahoma’s Director of Policy and Advocacy said in a statement. “Throughout the 58th Oklahoma Legislative Session, we have seen politicians at the Oklahoma Capitol push agendas that chill free speech and infringe on the rights of protesters.”
“And we know this is just the beginning in a lengthy list of legislation aimed at communities who took to the streets to make their voices heard in the wake of George Floyd‘s murder,” she continued.
Oklahoma’s legislation comes only two days after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a controversial “anti-riot” bill, which increases penalties for rioters, charges protesters deliberately obstructing traffic with misdemeanors and enhances protections for law enforcement.
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