There’s another side to the story of the protesters and their encampment around the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota. And a North Dakota lawmaker wants tighter penalties on people involved in riots.
Rep. Todd Porter has sponsored a measure carrying up to a 10-year prison sentence and a $20,000 fine for anyone convicted of taking part in riots involving 100 persons or more His bill doubles the existing penalties. Porter’s bill calls for a 5-year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine for anyone convicted of being part of a smaller riot—-any disturbance of less than a hundred people.
“At some point, they have to be taken out of the game and this bill does that,” explained Porter who noted there have been 625 arrests at the Dakota Access protest site since mid-August. The legislator admits openly his bill is in direct response to the pipeline protests.
He says some of those arrested on misdemeanor charges bonded out and returned to take part in more confrontations with the law.
A spokesman for the Indigenous Environmental Network and one of the protester organizers, Dallas Goldtooth called the bill “very reactionary and knee-jerk.”
“It could impact all forms of public speech and First Amendment rights and I encourage the citizens of North Dakota to speak out against these proposals,” said Goldtooth.
But Rep. Porter has support in his effort including from Assistant Attorney General Jon Byers as well as the North Dakota Peace Officers Association.