The new law will increase penalties for assault, battery, theft and robbery and battery against a police officer during a riot, in addition to prohibiting damage or deterioration of monuments or historic property.
DeSantis, a Republican, promoted the law at a news conference Monday as “the strongest, riot and law enforcement legislation in the country.”
“We are also putting an end to the harassment and intimidation tactics of the radical left by criminalizing doxing and demanding restitution for reasons and harmful monuments by riot police,” he added.
While Florida Republicans have insisted the legislation seeks to improve security and prevent violence, Democrats argue that peaceful protesters could be unjustly detained and that the law is aimed at minority communities.
Entitled the “Anti-Public Disorder Act,” the law creates two new offenses of “intimidating the crowd” and intimidating an individual, or the electronic publication of someone’s personal information with intent. that the person is threatened or harassed.
The law will also require that a person arrested for these crimes committed during a riot be detained until their first court appearance, which prevents them from immediately posting bail. A minimum of six months in prison is created for a person convicted of battery charges against a police officer during a riot.
There is also a provision to create an affirmative defense for a defendant in a civil action that states that they were defending themselves or their property against a riot control; Democrats have previously raised concerns about whether this would encourage vigilance.
The verdict on one of the most followed police brutality trials in decades could come this week as the Minneapolis and other cities metropolitan area faces police-related deaths, including the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright, of 20 years, by an officer in Brooklyn Center – a few miles from the court.
But Florida Democratic lawmakers made it clear Monday that they see the new state law as a step in the wrong direction.
“Governor DeSantis’ actions today show that he is not concerned about the lives of black and brown people, who are therefore citizens of this diverse state we call home, ”state Sen. Shevrin Jones said during a conference call. press.
“If he was worried, he would have tackled the murder of black men at the hands of police officers.”
This message was echoed by Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who accused the law of “making it more dangerous for the people of our state who want to defend injustice and make changes in society.”
State Representative Bobby Dubose stated, “Like a father trying to raise four young blacks in this state, HB1 terrifies me.”
“We know from lifelong experience that this will hurt: communities of color,” Dubose added.
Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren criticized the legislation in a statement for leaving “enough room to abuse the law and make it a crime to simply be present at a rally where other people are doing something wrong. “.
The law, Warren said, “will not change anything we are doing in Hillsborough County,” which includes Tampa.
“We will continue to aggressively prosecute people who cause violence and destruction and aggressively defend the rights of the First Amendment.”
CNN’s Veronica Stracqualursi, Pamela Kirkland, Ray Sanchez, Kay Jones and Eric Fiegel contributed to this report.