Protest or Terrorism? Soon it could be both.

I got this information from one of our California supporters.  Fight for the Future has issued an urgent update about the proposed law in Washington State that would allow authorities to charge nonviolent protesters with “economic terrorism.”

State Senator Doug Ericksen has formally introduced the bill, which he’s calling the “Preventing Economic Disruption Act,” for consideration during the 2017 legislative session.  Now this is not just a bad idea, it’s an actual piece of legislation that we have to fight.

The  bill would make any form of protest that causes an “economic disruption” a class C felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison. It wouldn’t just apply to people who engage in illegal acts or vandalism, it could be used to prosecute any person or group who organizes a protest that authorities deem as “disruptive.” Broadly interpreted, this law could apply to honored American traditions of nonviolent dissent like boycotts and civil disobedience.

We don’t have to support every protest or every cause, but we cannot allow overly broad legislation to undermine our Constitutionally protected freedoms. Charging nonviolent protesters with terrorism clearly violates the First Amendment and is an attempt to silence legitimate dissent.

We need everyone to speak out right now so we can shut down this terrible proposed legislation before it spreads to other states. This affects all of us. Will you sign the petition to stop it?

We need to remain vigilant. No matter who is in power, protecting our right to dissent is imperative for the future of our society.

Click here to sign the petition demanding lawmakers drop this dangerous attack on our basic right to free speech and assembly.

P.S. The video below helps explain this dangerous law and it’s already been viewed more than 500,000 times! Will you share it to help spread the word?