(WPR)---Remaining at a protest that turns violent or destructive could result in felony charges in Wisconsin under a proposal from Republican state lawmakers.
Sponsors say the plan is partly in response to last summer’s violence and destruction in Kenosha following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. It would create a definition of "riot" in state law and impose new penalties.
Under the bill, a riot would be defined as an unlawful assembly of three or more people that includes an act or threat of violence by at least one person that poses a risk or would result in personal injury or property damage, or an act that "substantially obstructs law enforcement or another governmental function."
The proposal would make it a felony to participate in a riot that results in "substantial damage to property or personal injury," with a minimum penalty of 45 days in jail and a maximum penalty of a $10,000 fine and up to three and a half years in prison. It would also make it a misdemeanor crime to attend or incite a riot or to block a thoroughfare while participating in a riot, with a minimum penalty of at least 30 days incarceration and a maximum penalty of up to a $10,000 fine and 9 months in jail.
During a public hearing on the plan Thursday, Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, a former police officer and one of the bill’s sponsors, said the plan "addresses the growing popularity of riots."
"In the wake of recent disruptions both in our state and across the nation, it is important to focus...
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