Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has preemptively struck back against politically charged assemblies in the neighborhoods of private citizens.
On Monday, the Republican governor signed a bill that expressly prohibits people or groups from protesting outside a private residence.
The Florida law comes on the heels of pro-abortion groups protesting outside the homes of conservative-leaning Supreme Court justices — following the leak of an initial majority draft opinion from Justice Samuel Alito, a decision which could eventually lead to the nation's highest court striking down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision from 1973.
The measure also bans residential picketing or "protesting before or about a person's home with specified intent."
"Sending unruly mobs to private residences, like we have seen with the angry crowds in front of the homes of Supreme Court justices, is inappropriate," said DeSantis. "This bill will provide protection to those living in residential communities, and I am glad to sign it into law."
Last week, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bill extending protections from the Supreme Court Police to the immediate family members of SCOTUS justices.
The legislation needs approval from the House chamber and President Joe Biden, before being signed into national law.
The Florida law is designed to deter protesters from launching campaigns outside a person's home, in the likely form of political intimidation.
According to DeSantis, the new Florida measure "requires specified warning before arrest," a repeated attempt to professionally diffuse tense situations.
Once the Florida law goes into effect, law enforcement officers will provide a warning to any person picketing or protesting outside of a dwelling and "will make arrests for residential picketing only if the person does not peacefully disperse after the warning."
Residential picketing will be punishable as a second-degree misdemeanor.
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