Indiana bill would allow police to shut down protests 'by any means necessary'

Opponents in Indianapolis argue the proposed law, simply labelled
Senate Bill 285, or SB 285, would give police power ‘even to the point
of costing lives’

Joanna Walters in New York
Wednesday 18 January 2017 22.08 GMT

A bill that would require public officials in Indiana to dispatch law enforcement swiftly to remove any protesters blocking traffic by “any means necessary” prompted uproar on Wednesday.

Opponents of the bill, introduced by a Republican state senator, rushed to the general assembly in Indianapolis on Wednesday afternoon to attend a hearing for the legislation, arguing that it could give a green light to the police to shut down protests harshly “even to the point of costing lives”.

The proposed law, simply labelled Senate Bill 285, or SB 285, and designed to deal with “traffic obstruction by protestors” would go into effect in July if passed.

It calls for officials, such as a city mayor or county sheriff, to be required to quickly clear any mass traffic obstruction – defined as 10 or more protesters – blocking roads.

“A responsible public official shall, not later than 15 minutes after learning of a mass traffic obstruction in the official’s jurisdiction, dispatch all available law enforcement officers ... with directions to use any means necessary to clear the roads of the persons unlawfully obstructing vehicular traffic,” the bill states.

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