Should Arrested Protestors Have To Pay Police Fees?
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What's the story?
Demonstrations and rallies have dominated the news of late. Now, state lawmakers in Pennsylvania have joined the national dialogue by introducing a bill that could force protestors arrested at protests to pay for police overtime and other fees related to the arrest.
SB 754, introduced by Rep. Scott Martin of Lancaster County and seven other Pennsylvania Republicans, states that "a person is responsible for public safety response costs incurred by a State agency or political subdivision as a result of the State agency’s or political subdivision’s response to a demonstration if, in connection with the demonstration, the person is convicted of a felony or misdemeanor offense."
Why does it matter?
As The Intercept explained, "In other words, they could be on the hook for costs, such as police overtime, medical or emergency response, or other basic public services associated with protests. Whatever felony or misdemeanor offense the protester was convicted of would come with its own independent penalty."
Larry Krasner, the Democratic nominee for District Attorney, said in a statement, "Of all the activities to single out, who would pick out speech and protest for extraordinary punishment?… It’s what this country was built on. This sort of legislation has no place in our democracy."
The Republican candidate, Beth Grossman, shared some of Krasner’s concerns. "Are you going to seek the entire amount against one person?" Grossman asked. “I see a lot of challenges and problems down the line for that.”
Rep. Martin – who introduced the bill – represents a district that’s been the site of protests against the Atlantic Sunrise natural gas pipeline. As the Intercept notes, the text of the bill is clearly inspired by these anti-pipeline protests: "It includes a lengthy section laying out the costs associated with the demonstrations against the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota — citing specific figures, such as the ‘331,721 hours of response support’ by local police and National Guard and a $38.2 million price tag for local and state taxpayers."
Elizabeth Randol, the legislative director at the ACLU of Pennsylvania, acknowledged the monetary costs—but also the cost to civil liberties.
"We’re all sensitive to costs and to what that does to a tax bill or the kind of stress and strain it puts on our first responders," Randol said. “But you can’t have those costs be borne on the back of people who are protesting and engaging in their First Amendment protected rights to speech and assembly.”
What do you think?
Should protesters have to pay the costs for their arrests? Should this be a federal policy? Hit the Take Action, tell your reps, then exercise your Free Speech rights by commenting below.
—Josh Herman
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(Photo Credit: alejandrophotography / iStockphoto)
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