At a time when anti-Trump protests are plauging Washington state and group like #BlackLivesMatter are ready to mobilise very quickly it seems timely that a GOP senator is introduing a bill supposedly aimed at ‘Illegal Protests’ and laying down harder punishment for those involved.

Washington state Republican Senator Doug Ericksen announced the bill on Wednesday. The bill proposes much stricter penalties for people who have participated in ‘illegal protests.’, how these are defined, I am not sure but Ericksen insists he respects legal protests such as strikes and picketing:

“I respect the right to protest, but when it endangers people’s lives and property, it goes too far,”

“Fear, intimidation and vandalism are not a legitimate form of political expression. Those who employ it must be called to account.”

The bill would introduce a new crime known as “economic terrorism”

The bill would also go after accomplices of those charged, pushing high damage charges onto them. He said:

“We are not just going after the people who commit these acts of terrorism,”

“We are going after the people who fund them. Wealthy donors should not feel safe in disrupting middle class jobs.”

Do you think he is just trying to shut down current protests?