Last week, Minnesota’s House Committee voted to punish protestors by making protestors have to pay the law enforcement costs of covering a protest.
While all but one speaker decried the bill as an attempt to intimidate protesters and curb First Amendment rights, in the end the bill passed out of the committee with a 9-6 split along party lines — with every Republican on the committee voting for it, and every Democrat against.
The bill’s 27 authors, all Republicans including House Speaker Kurt Daudt, also include eight members of the committee to which it was referred: the House public safety committee, chaired by Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Vernon Center, who is also listed as an author.
As the vote was made, protesters erupted with one man—wearing a “Philando” hat in memory of Philando Castile, a Minnesotan whose murder during a traffic stop was captured on video—yelling at the committee members.
Shame on you Minnesota, you don’t care about us! Shame on you!
As Republicans members of the committee did what they do best—run away—the man continued berating them.
You should leave. Shame on you. You should leave because those seats you’re sitting in will be replaced by someone who will represent us! You should leave! You should leave. You should leave, today!...Wait ‘til your grandson gets murdered by the police. Wait until it’s your grandson.
Then a chant of “Shut it down” began. It’s intense and righteous.
Shame on you. We voted for you. Help us! Help us! We voted for you to help us, not harm us. Vacate your seats!
This goes along with Republicans attempts across the nation to stymie any and all civic rights to organize and dissent.
Watch the video here.