- PORTLAND, Oregon (Reuters)
- An Oregon anti-terrorism bill would jail street-blocking protesters for
at least 25 years in a thinly veiled effort to discourage anti-war demonstrations,
critics say.
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- The bill has met strong opposition but lawmakers still
expect a debate on the definition of terrorism and the value of free speech
before a vote by the state senate judiciary committee, whose Chairman,
Republican Senator John Minnis, wrote the proposed legislation.
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- Dubbed Senate Bill 742, it identifies a terrorist as
a person who "plans or participates in an act that is intended, by
at least one of its participants, to disrupt" business, transportation,
schools, government, or free assembly.
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- The bill's few public supporters say police need stronger
laws to break up protests that have created havoc in cities like Portland,
where thousands of people have marched and demonstrated against war in
Iraq since last fall.
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- "We need some additional tools to control protests
that shut down the city," said Lars Larson, a conservative radio talk
show host who has aggressively stumped for the bill.
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- Larson said protesters should be protected by free speech
laws, but not given free reign to hold up ambulances or frighten people
out of their daily routines, adding that police and the court system could
be trusted to see the difference.
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- "Right now a group of people can get together and
go downtown and block a freeway," Larson said. "You need a tool
to deal with that."
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- The bill contains automatic sentences of 25 years to
life for the crime of terrorism.
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- Critics of the bill say its language is so vague it erodes
basic freedoms in the name of fighting terrorism under an extremely broad
definition.
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- "Under the original version (terrorism) meant essentially
a food fight," said Andrea Meyer of the American Civil Liberties Union
(ACLU), which opposes the bill.
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- Police unions and minority groups also oppose the bill
for fear it could have a chilling effect on relations between police and
poor people, minorities, children and "vulnerable" populations.
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- Legislators say the bill stands little chance of passage.
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- "I just don't think this bill is ever going to get
out of committee," said Democratic Senator Vicki Walker, one of four
members on the six-person panel who have said they oppose the legislation.
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