Republican Senators Thom Tillis (NC) and Marsha Blackburn (TN) introduced a bill that would make blocking a public road a federal crime.
The bill, called the “Safe and Open Street Act,” is a response to the “radical tactics of pro-Palestine protestors who have intentionally blocked roads and highways across the country,” according to a press release.
Tillis said in an announcement of the bill, “The emerging tactic of radical protestors blocking roads and stopping commerce is not only obnoxious to innocent commuters, but it’s also dangerous and will eventually get people killed. It needs to be a crime throughout the country.
He continued, “I’m proud to introduce the Safe and Open Streets Act so radical activists who resort to these reckless and dangerous tactics are held accountable under the full weight of the law for endangering public safety.”
Blackburn similarly said, “Blocking major roads to stop traffic flows is nothing short of lawlessness that should not be tolerated. These activists are not only intentionally creating a dangerous situation for themselves, but perhaps for a citizen who is awaiting an ambulance or a hard worker who will lose their job for being late. The Safe and Open Streets Act is critical to stopping this reckless behavior, particularly by Hamas sympathizers, in our U.S. cities.”
Those who block public roads may be fined or face five years imprisonment.
American Faith reported that pro-Palestine protestors blocked both a freeway in Seattle, Washington and roads leading to the John F. Kennedy International Airport and the Los Angeles International Airport.
