Critics of a new Louisiana law, which makes it a crime to approach within 25 feet (7.6 meters) of a police officer under certain circumstances, fear that the measure could hinder the public’s ability to film officers — a tool that has increasingly been used to hold police accountable.

Under the law, anyone who is convicted of “knowingly or intentionally” approaching an officer, who is “lawfully engaged in the execution of his official duties,” and after being ordered to “stop approaching or retreat” faces up to a $500 fine, up to 60 days in jail or both. The law was signed by Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, Tuesday and goes into effect Aug. 1.

While the legislation’s language does not specifically mention filming, critics say that by default it would limit how close a person can be to observe police. Opponents have also gone further to question the law’s constitutionality, saying it could impede on a person’s First Amendment rights.

    • worldwidewave
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      11010 months ago

      Whenever I see dumb laws like this being passed, I think about all the problems they aren’t fixing. Louisiana is damn-near last place on all of the quality of life indexes. It’s sad that they keep electing politicians who refuse to better their quality of life.

      • @RippleEffect@lemm.ee
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        3510 months ago

        It doesn’t help that it was a shitty election cycle. People didn’t vote and are in shock that the republican won where turnout was 36% of registered voters because people assumed the jungle primary would cause a dem and repub to move forward when in fact, of that 36%, Landry won outright with 51%.

        Im not saying he wouldn’t have won anyways, but it would have been much closer if people would actually vote.

          • @RippleEffect@lemm.ee
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            10 months ago

            Fair. I guess I just mean he won with less than 20% of registered voters so it’s difficult for us to know if it’s a fluke since dems did not come out to vote

      • @Desistance@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        They’re not electing anyone. 83% of the population didn’t vote in the recent Governor election.

  • @BigMacHole@lemm.ee
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    10310 months ago

    Not being able to approach Police Officers because they legally can then THROW YOU IN JAIL is called FREEDOM!

  • scops
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    8210 months ago

    I can’t wait for someone to try to justify fleeing the police with this law. “Officer, you were executing your official duties. I was trying to obey the law by staying 25 feet from you but you kept pursuing me!”

    Guess I’ll cross New Orleans off my list of possible vacation destinations. Not a big fan of voluntarily entering police states.

    • @Kecessa@sh.itjust.works
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      3110 months ago

      Guess I’ll cross New Orleans off my list of possible vacation destinations.

      It’s funny because, as a person from outside the USA, I know a lot of people who have decided to do that with the USA as a whole!

  • @ironhydroxide@sh.itjust.works
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    5510 months ago

    This is just the result of the general populous allowing the legislators to pass whatever laws they wish, instead of laws to benefit constituents.

    We need more outrage and change when these things happen. At least enough to make people remember what’s happened when it’s time to vote.

    • _haha_oh_wow_
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      3710 months ago

      The cost of a functioning republic is vigilance: If people stop participating, things get worse.

      • @skyspydude1@lemmy.world
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        110 months ago

        You mean all the people saying no one should bother voting because “both sides bad and it does nothing” might not have the US’ best interests at heart??

    • @Grandwolf319@sh.itjust.works
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      310 months ago

      The issue is that the people who vote for him would see something like this and say good, crime is too high right now.

      No matter how you spin it, when you have enough people without critical thinking, they are gonna drag everything down.

  • @unmagical@lemmy.ml
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    10 months ago

    Given that the courts already shutdown Arizona’s attempt last year to keep people 8 feet away from a cop, I’m not sure arguing for 3 times the distance is going to stand.

    • @Maggoty@lemmy.world
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      210 months ago

      They want to push it to the Supreme Court. Arizona lost it’s Republican governor and AG. The Dems settled the case and stopped pushing it.

  • @ryathal@sh.itjust.works
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    3110 months ago

    Louisiana is going to waste a lot of money defending this law. The Supreme Court has been very consistent on filming cops is allowed. Also 25 feet is huge, that effectively closes sidewalks if a car is pulled over, and any two lane roads. The selective enforcement options are endless.

  • Gumby
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    3110 months ago

    Police are suddenly going to become really bad at estimating just how far away 25 feet is.

    • @Maggoty@lemmy.world
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      3210 months ago

      Nah. They just walk keep walking towards you. This law legalizes a behavior they already display called “bulldogging”. They walk towards you attempting to intimidate you into walking away. If you can’t be intimidated then they escalate until you are arrested for resisting arrest. This is just more smoke cover for cops to act like an occupying force.

  • Rentlar
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    2710 months ago

    If this is allowed to stand, Americans’ first amendment rights end at 25 ft away from a police officer, in Louisiana.

    • @Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      10 months ago

      And if they walk towards you while saying “back away”, suddenly you’re fleeing a scene if you actually back away

  • @Fades@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    Conservatives: acab? Who are you gonna call when you need help? A crackhead?

    cops: it is illegal for you to approach me if I feel like it

    crackhead: i’ll do anything for you for 50 bucks

    • @bradorsomething@ttrpg.network
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      1610 months ago

      I love the knowledge that if someone is breaking into my house, the cops will show up later to tell me nothing will be recovered and to hand me a piece of paper.

      • @Asafum@feddit.nl
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        10 months ago

        My friends sister lives in an area where you’re never more than a minute away from a cop sitting somewhere looking to collect taxes give a ticket. She literally watched someone pull out of her driveway in her car and immediately called the cops. The car couldn’t have been more than 1 block away and they said “sorry can’t help you, call your insurance.”

        I drove to target and saw 6 cop cars and probably a dozen cops all holding on or standing near a guy with a bag who stole something…

        They’re fucking useless pet executioners, tax collectors, and defenders of obscene wealth.

        • @skyspydude1@lemmy.world
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          310 months ago

          This is blatantly false and I won’t stand for the sullying of taxes like that.

          Taxes are (generally) distributed to the community and not just straight to the justice system, and the IRS is actually willing to work on improving things and working with people. I’m also pretty confident the IRS is definitely on the lower end of the doggo body count compared to a lot of the other 3-letter agencies.

          • @Asafum@feddit.nl
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            310 months ago

            Lol I appreciate your rightful defense of taxes and the IRS. I was just “joking” about how cops aren’t here to help or protect us, they are here to extract more money from us and to protect the wealthy. The IRS is it’s own thing and definitely needed.

            :P

      • Stern
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        610 months ago

        At least they’ll shoot your dog for free… whether you wanted them to or not.

  • Queen HawlSera
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    1810 months ago

    How the fuck do I ask a cop for help? I mean… Not that I ever would, I mean if I call a crackhead to help me, they’re not gonna shoot my dog…

  • @werefreeatlast@lemmy.world
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    610 months ago

    So as your car comes to a stop, check the car behind you or in front or the side. If it’s a cop, you’re fucked. They can just shoot you if you look at them with RBF resting bitch face.

  • Phoenixz
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    610 months ago

    fear that the measure could hinder the public’s ability to film officers — a tool that has increasingly been used to hold police accountable.

    Yeah, that’s the point. Why else would they enact a law like this?