A law signed by the Tennessee governor prescribes harsh penalties for protesters including loss of the rights to vote and to bear arms. The law increases penalties for camping on state property to a felony with a possible jail term of one to six years. (USATODAY, August 22, 2020, by Kerri Bartlett of The Tennessean)
The American Civil Liberties Union denounced the law that goes into effect immediately as a move to “severely criminalize dissent.” (KMOV, August 22, 2020, by Kelly Mena of CNN)
Some saw the law as an attempt to suppress the vote in the upcoming presidential election and to suppress Black Lives Matter protests. “The racial motivation underlying the law is undeniable. It’s a clear backlash response to the Black Lives Matter movement and to people who are decisively protesting racial injustice and police violence,” said Kristen Clarke of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. (The Washington Post, August 22, 2020, by Colby Itkowitz and Any Gardner)