The new law increases the fines for assault, battery, burglary and theft, and the battery against a police officer during a riot, as well as the damage or damage to memorials or historic property.
DeSantis, a Republican, presented the law at a news conference on Monday as “the strongest, counter-insurgency, legislative legislation in the country.”
“We are also putting an end to the bullying and intimidation tactics of the radical left by criminalizing crimes and demanding compensation for the damage to memorials and monuments by rioters,” he added.
Although Republicans in Florida have insisted that the legislation is about improving security and preventing violence, Democrats argue that peaceful protesters can be wrongly detained and that the law is aimed at minority communities.
The law is entitled “Combating Public Disorder Act” and creates two new crimes of “intimidation of mob” and drugs of an individual, or publishes someone’s personal information electronically for the purpose of threatening or harassing the person.
The law also requires that an individual who has been arrested for such offenses committed during a riot be detained until they first appear in court, which prevents them from seeking immediate bail. This creates a minimum of six months imprisonment for a person convicted of a battery against a law enforcement officer during a riot.
There is also a provision to create a just defense for an accused in a civil action who claims to have defended themselves or their property against a riot; Democrats had earlier expressed concern about whether it would encourage vigilance.
The verdict in one of the most watched police brutality trials in decades could come this week as the metropolitan area in Minneapolis and other cities includes the deaths of police officers, including the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Daunte Wright by an officer in Brooklyn. Center – just miles from the courthouse.
But Democratic lawmakers in Florida made it clear earlier Monday that they viewed the new state law as a step in the wrong direction.
“The actions of Governor DeSantis today show that he is not concerned about the lives of black and colored people, who happen to be citizens of this diverse state we call home,” Senator Shevrin Jones said during a news conference.
“If he had been concerned, he would have addressed the murder of black men among police officers.”
The message was repeated by Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who said the law “makes it more dangerous for the people here in our state who want to stand up against injustice and change society.”
State Representative Bobby Dubose said: “As a father trying to raise four young black men in this state, HB1 terrifies me,”
“We know from a lifelong experience who will harm it – communities of color,” Dubose added.
State Attorney Andrew Warren exploded the law in a statement because he “left just enough room to abuse the law and make it a crime to simply be present at a protest where other people are doing something wrong” . “
The law, Warren said, “is not going to change anything we do in Hillsborough County,” which includes Tampa.
“We will continue to aggressively prosecute people who cause violence and destruction and aggressively defend the rights to first amendment.”
CNN’s Veronica Stracqualursi, Pamela Kirkland, Ray Sanchez, Kay Jones and Eric Fiegel contributed to this report.