Louisiana bill would crack down on protests violating laws, accepting terrorist money

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) -- In the wake of campus protests garnering national attention, a bill in the Louisiana Legislature looks to keep terrorist organizations from funding protests. It also would add extra scrutiny for protests that break any laws.

SB294 by State Sen. Valarie Hodges would prevent “protections for activities conducted by organizations that have been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the federal government.” It also has a provision that would crack down on crimes such as trespassing, which some believe is an effort to stifle free speech.

“I 100% support free speech. But Louisiana is a state of law and order,” Hodges said.

In New Orleans, students and faculty held pro-Palestine protests at Tulane and Loyola that were ultimately broken up by police in May. Several people were arrested but one testifier said none were for violent charges.

Hodges said a campus would not have to allow a permit for a demonstration that is knowingly accepting money from terrorist organizations or foreign adversaries under her bill. Some of the Loyola and Tulane protesters said nobody is being paid by terrorist organizations but rather people who want to have their voices heard about what they are witnessing in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“I don't believe that any of us in this room believe that that's a good thing to be protesting in favor of Hamas or ISIS or Al Qaeda for pushing their agenda on Americans and especially young American students. That we just don't need that in Louisiana,” Hodges said.

The bill takes away any protections for blocking people from viewing or hearing free expression, such as in counter-protesting or preventing people from attending classes.

A natural part of protest is often simple trespass. Those against the bill said the additional scrutiny is a restriction on the First Amendment or could provide a chilling effect on those who would want to participate in a protest.

Pablo Zavala, a Loyola University professor, was a witness to the protests. He said many of the famous protests such as Rosa Parks staying at the front of the bus or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. refusing to leave segregated lunch counters were illegal at the time.

“They were not charged with anything other than simple trespass. These are students with snipers in their faces,” one testifier said about the New Orleans protests, holding up a photo of an officer holding a large gun from the breakup of the encampment.

Hodges’ bill also establishes political affiliation as a protected class against discrimination. 

“No public postsecondary education institution shall engage in discrimination on the basis of political, ideological, or religious beliefs against any organization or the organization's leaders or members of the organization…” the bill states.

“Civil disobedience. Like free speech, academic freedom, and the right to peacefully assemble, as inscribed in the First Amendment to our United States Constitution, are cornerstones of a healthy democracy,” Zavala said.

Hodges emphasized that she is fully in support of free speech and listed a number of free speech organizations she worked with in crafting the bill.

The bill faced no objections in committee and now heads to the full House. It already has Senate approval.

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