Protesting at the NATO/G8 event in Chicago now to be illegal

[truedelphi]

Last edited Wed Feb 29, 2012, 05:05 AM - Edit history (2)

Tuesday, Feb 28th, 2012, our Illustrious House of Representatives, fearing that all of us prodded, poked, foreclosed on, and jobless Americans have simply too many freedoms, voted to put in place the House Bill 347.

Basically the law provides for two separate things:

One: It will be a federal offense to protest near any Federal Building, or any public space or location where the Secret Service is operating to protect a government official. Since Hillary Clinton, President Obama, Governor Mitt Romney and as of a few hours ago, Rick Santorum, are all under Secret Service protection, anyone protesting anything needs to be mindful of this new law.
I expect both Hillary and Obama will be at the NATO/G8 event.

Two: Persons who are deemed to possibly be disruptive can be arrested, regardless of where they are!

http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2012/02/houses-passes-new-bill-that-would-make.html

From the article:
When thousands of protesters are expected to descend on Chicago this spring for the 2012 G8 and NATO summits, they will also be approaching the grounds of a National Special Security Event. That means disruptive activity, to whichever court has to consider it, will be a federal offense under the act.
And don’t forget if you intend on fighting such charges, you might not be able to rely on evidence of your own. In the state of Illinois, videotaping the police, under current law, brings criminals charges. Don’t fret. It’s not like the country will really try to enforce it — right?

The actual text of the bill -





H.R.347 -- Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011 (Engrossed Amendment Senate - EAS)

HR 347 EAS

In the Senate of the United States,

February 6, 2012.

Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representatives (H.R. 347) entitled `An Act to correct and simplify the drafting of section 1752 (relating to restricted buildings or grounds) of title 18, United States Code.', do pass with the following

AMENDMENT:

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011'.

SEC. 2. RESTRICTED BUILDING OR GROUNDS.

Section 1752 of title 18, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

`Sec. 1752. Restricted building or grounds

`(a) Whoever--

`(1) knowingly enters or remains in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority to do so;

`(2) knowingly, and with intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions, engages in disorderly or disruptive conduct in, or within such proximity to, any restricted building or grounds when, or so that, such conduct, in fact, impedes or disrupts the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions;

`(3) knowingly, and with the intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions, obstructs or impedes ingress or egress to or from any restricted building or grounds; or

`(4) knowingly engages in any act of physical violence against any person or property in any restricted building or grounds;

or attempts or conspires to do so, shall be punished as provided in subsection (b).

`(b) The punishment for a violation of subsection (a) is--

`(1) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both, if--

`(A) the person, during and in relation to the offense, uses or carries a deadly or dangerous weapon or firearm; or

`(B) the offense results in significant bodily injury as defined by section 2118(e)(3); and

`(2) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, in any other case.

`(c) In this section--

`(1) the term `restricted buildings or grounds' means any posted, cordoned off, or otherwise restricted area--

`(A) of the White House or its grounds, or the Vice President's official residence or its grounds;

`(B) of a building or grounds where the President or other person protected by the Secret Service is or will be temporarily visiting; or

`(C) of a building or grounds so restricted in conjunction with an event designated as a special event of national significance; and

`(2) the term `other person protected by the Secret Service' means any person whom the United States Secret Service is authorized to protect under section 3056 of this title or by Presidential memorandum, when such person has not declined such protection.'.

Attest:

Secretary.

112th CONGRESS

2d Session

H.R. 347

AMENDMENT