The New Legislation Targeting Protesters

Political protests are often designed to provoke a response from elected officials. But in some states, the reaction from state legislators is turning hostile.

A wave of bills aimed at curtailing protests and demonstrations has started to make its way through state legislatures across the country. A Washington Post analysis found at least 18 states where Republican legislators have either proposed legislation that targets certain protest tactics, sought to increase penalties for illegal protests under existing law, or publicly discussed pursuing such measures.

The proposed measures come amid in response to those protests; the Trump administration last month.) And last month that the Women’s March on Washington and associated anti-Trump protests nationwide drew between 3.3 million and 4.6 million participants.