About 60 people were arrested inside the North Carolina legislature
Monday night, bringing the total number of protesters taken to jail in
recent weeks to well over 700.
Nearly all of those taken into custody while opposing polices advanced by the legislature's Republican majority have been charged with disorderly conduct, trespassing and violating building rules. But what behavior constitutes a violation under those broad statutes is largely at the discretion of the legislature's in-house police force.
Observers say some of those handcuffed and charged with the misdemeanors in recent weeks were exercising their First Amendment rights, behaving no differently than protesters from past years who were not arrested. That has raised concerns about whether Republican leaders who took control of North Carolina's General Assembly in 2010 are directing more aggressive enforcement against citizens who disagree with their conservative agenda.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/07/08/4152850/arrests-mount-as-nc-legislative.html
Nearly all of those taken into custody while opposing polices advanced by the legislature's Republican majority have been charged with disorderly conduct, trespassing and violating building rules. But what behavior constitutes a violation under those broad statutes is largely at the discretion of the legislature's in-house police force.
Observers say some of those handcuffed and charged with the misdemeanors in recent weeks were exercising their First Amendment rights, behaving no differently than protesters from past years who were not arrested. That has raised concerns about whether Republican leaders who took control of North Carolina's General Assembly in 2010 are directing more aggressive enforcement against citizens who disagree with their conservative agenda.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/07/08/4152850/arrests-mount-as-nc-legislative.html
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