Proposed Alabama Bill Could Mean Harsher Penalties for BLM Protesters
“What this bill is trying to simply do is shut folks’ mouths.” - Senator Rodger Smitherman
A lawmaker in Alabama proposed legislation that would impose harsher penalties for anyone who participates in a riot, or protests that turn violent or destructive..
On Wednesday, Republican Representative Allen Treadaway, who is also a retired Birmingham assistant police chief, disclosed that he drafted the legislation after protests took place last summer in Birmingham over the death of George Floyd, who died on May 25, 2020 at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. Some peaceful protests in Birmingham turned violent and caused damage to numerous businesses.