Rhode Island lawmaker seeks crackdown on highway protests

January 16, 2015 1:53 pm

By The Associated Press

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) _ A Rhode Island lawmaker says he’ll introduce a bill making it a felony to block a highway, like protesters did in Boston on Thursday.

State Sen. Leonidas Raptakis said Friday that he supports the rights to free speech and peaceful demonstrations, but he’s concerned some gatherings could threaten the public welfare.

The Democrat says his legislation would establish a new section of law regarding unlawful interference with traffic. It would make it a felony to loiter on any roadway in a way that disrupts traffic.

Demonstrators blocked a busy Boston-area highway during the Thursday morning commute and caused lengthy traffic jams to protest what they called racial profiling and violence by police against minorities.

A similar protest shut down I-95 in Providence for 15 minutes in November.