Here’s a question I never thought we’d be debating. Anyone who has watched the “peaceful protests” put on by Black Lives Matter and Antifa around the country for the past few years is familiar with one repeating scene. Protesters swarm onto the streets or highways, shutting down traffic. Too often, the so-called “peaceful” protesters begin beating on vehicles and sometimes even trying to drag the occupants out of their cars. This has led to multiple instances where panicking drivers have had to make the choice to simply hit the gas and escape, even if it means hitting some of the protesters on their way out of the riot. Now, legislators in a number of states are considering changes to the law that would create much harsher penalties for masses of people blocking traffic and shielding drivers from prosecution if they run some of them down while making their escape. This is obviously being seen as an incendiary tactic on the left. (Associated Press)

When massive demonstrations against racial injustice erupted across the nation last summer, protesters used an increasingly common tactic to draw attention to their cause: swarming out onto major roads to temporarily paralyze traffic.

This method sometimes resulted in searing images of drivers plowing through crowds, causing serious injuries and in some cases, deaths.

Now, Republican politicians across the country are moving to stop the road-blocking maneuver, proposing increased penalties for demonstrators who run onto highways and legal immunity for drivers who hit them. The bills are among dozens introduced in Legislatures aimed at cracking down on demonstrations.