On June 6th, groups of concerned citizens decided to gather in the streets of Los Angeles to protest the current administration’s increase in immigration enforcement actions across the country. What started as small protests quickly devolved into chaos and violence, with the protests now lasting for over six days.
The situation in Los Angeles has escalated to such a degree that Mayor Bass has ordered all citizens to obey a curfew that runs from 8 P.M. until 6 A.M on the night of June 10th.
Anyone who does not obey this order is subject to being arrested. So far, the Los Angeles police have been making mass arrests for five days straight.
The danger of the situation was highlighted live on TV when an Australian news reporter was covering the situation. The reporter, Lauren Tomasi, was reporting on the stand-off when things suddenly and “rapidly deteriorated”. LAPD officers were riding on horseback and firing rubber bullets at the protesters when one of those bullets struck the news correspondent in the leg. The reporter can be seen yelping in pain before getting back to her job reporting.
Since that incident occurred, the protests have only escalated further. President Trump made the decision to send out over 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to help protect federal property and personnel.
The military is not authorized to make arrests, but they are there to help support LAPD as they continue to apprehend offenders.
Crimes Related to Rioting
According to social media posts, some provocateurs hope to spread these protests further across more states. This “No Kings” movement is set to bring protests to other major cities, including potential demonstrations in New York state.
It’s important to understand that citizens do have the right to peacefully protest, but they can incur several types of criminal charges when they engage in violent, reckless, or tumultuous behaviors. In New York, similar types of protests can lead to charges like rioting in the first- or second-degree, inciting a riot, unlawful assembly, disorderly conduct, or criminal anarchy.
These charges range in severity. Inciting a riot, unlawful assembly, and riot in the second degree are all misdemeanors, but first-degree rioting and criminal anarchy are serious felonies. Disorderly conduct is typically the least of these charges and only amounts to a civil violation.
Criminal anarchy is levied when a protestor advocates the overthrowing of the current form of government by violence. First-degree rioting is levied when at least ten or more people engage in intentional violent and reckless conduct, which creates a risk of public alarm and causes injuries or substantial property damage. A felony conviction will carry lifelong consequences, like a total loss of your right to vote or possess firearms.
Considering what’s at stake, it might be best to consult with an attorney before joining any No Kings protest. You’ll also want to immediately contact an attorney if you get charged with any protest-related crime.
Schedule a case review by contacting our New York criminal defense attorneys now.
