Critics of a new Louisiana law, which makes it a crime to approach within 25 feet (7.6 meters) of a police officer under certain circumstances, fear that the measure could hinder the public’s ability to film officers — a tool that has increasingly been used to hold police accountable.

Under the law, anyone who is convicted of “knowingly or intentionally” approaching an officer, who is “lawfully engaged in the execution of his official duties,” and after being ordered to “stop approaching or retreat” faces up to a $500 fine, up to 60 days in jail or both. The law was signed by Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, Tuesday and goes into effect Aug. 1.

  • bamboo@lemm.ee
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    6 months ago

    This some fascist shit. Why is the government so obsessed with shielding cops from accountability?

    • SturgiesYrFase@lemmy.ml
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      6 months ago

      Police Unions and lobbyists. Police Unions are one of the few times unions aren’t necessarily a good thing.

      • pulaskiwasright@lemmy.ml
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        6 months ago

        Democrats aren’t spineless. they are operating in a world where republicans own the majority of the media and will repeat whatever they say. For example, The democrats lost a lot of local elections last cycle because republican media scared everyone into thinking crime rates were soaring even though they’re at all time lows. Republicans have gerrymandered so well that they have to be extremely careful or risk losing even in states where they have the majority of voters.

        Republicans have been playing a long game starting with Regan and they are in their end game now.

  • Fixbeat@lemmy.ml
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    6 months ago

    So much freedumb. When are cops lawful? They break laws constantly.

  • huquad@lemmy.ml
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    6 months ago

    Walk away from police? Jail.

    Walk towards police? Believe or not, also jail!

  • orcrist@lemm.ee
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    6 months ago

    I don’t suppose the law will actually go into effect August 1st. We already have cases like Turner v Driver that have clearly established the right to record officers in the performance of their duties. So then this law would need to be narrowly tailored to infringe upon 1A as minimally as necessary, and it doesn’t.

    After what happened in arizona, I think the governor is just wasting everyone’s time, or perhaps he’s trying to take advantage of the crazy results that come out of the appeals courts down there. But on issues like this, the courts have not been on the side of the pigs.