North Carolina House Passes GOP-Backed Anti-Rioting Bill

The North Carolina state House approved a GOP-backed bill that enhances penalties for rioting and civil disorder—coming in the wake of nationwide Black Lives Matter-linked riots and demonstrations last year. The bill, House Bill 805, would allow property owners to sue for damages incurred during a riot, including court and attorney fees. It also seeks to significantly increase penalties for participating in a riot, inciting a riot that leads to death, and engaging in riots that lead to injuries of a first responder, according to the text (pdf) of the bill. House Speaker Tim Moore, a Republican, and a group of GOP lawmakers sponsored the measure, saying it was in response to the left-wing riots last year following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. “In North Carolina, we saw many instances of individuals going and committing massive property damage, destroying businesses already suffering from the closure and reduce business because …