But critics object, equating lawlessness with free speech.
Lawmakers in Arizona and Utah have introduced bills toughening penalties for civil terrorism—illegal activities undertaken to achieve political goals through intimidation or coercion. Blocking a road, for example, is already illegal, and for good reason: people have to get to their families and jobs, not to mention the needs of emergency vehicles. But Arizona’s HB 2136 and Utah’s HB 331 raise the costs of doing so intentionally in large groups or in especially disorderly ways, because current law treats road-blocking as a minor crime, and troublemakers have been exploiting it.
