MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Some protesters could have their voting privileges stripped, among other things, under a new law signed by Governor Bill Lee on Friday. The new measure states protesters who illegally camp on state property between 10 pm and 7 am can be charged with a felony.
At first, they will be warned to leave, but if they do not they can be faced with a Class E Felony, which is punishable to six years in prison.
State Sen. Raumesh Akbari, (D) Memphis, said the purpose of protests and sit-ins is to bring awareness to where change needs to happen.
"Really unfortunate having a felony on your record for something so simple as raising your voice and demanding and asking and begging to be heard," Akbari said.
She said this legislation would have deemed civil rights champions John Lewis and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. felons. Akbari said no law should silence anyone.
"It’s silencing the young people who have galvanized together and who are protesting especially those across the street from the capitol," Akbari said.
Protester Michaelantonio Jones recently camped outside of Memphis City Hall at the height of the demonstrations following the death of George Floyd. He said it's scary to see state officials criminalize rights guaranteed in the First Amendment and said this new law will only make protesters louder.
"Real representatives of the people don’t try to throw their citizens in jail and don’t try to strip voting rights from them," Jones said.
He said we need to be mindful of who we elect as our leaders.
"Their priorities are silencing criticism and removing people from the political process so that they can have their power remain entrenched," Jones said.
The ACLU of Tennessee spoke out against the signing of the bill saying it "chills free speech."
"This law also robs individuals of their right to vote if they are convicted of these new felony charges," Hedy Weinberg, ACLU of Tennessee executive director said. "A critical moment of reckoning that has led to policing reforms nationwide, Tennessee has chosen to turn a blind eye to the reasons the protests are happening and is instead choosing to shut down the right of the people to protest. We will be closely monitoring enforcement of this law and are urging Tennesseans to get out and vote like their rights depend on it.”
Akbari said this law does not represent the values this country was founded on.
"It’s kind of anti-American I think that our country was founded on protests whether it was peaceful or not," Akbari said. "In this case, the folks were peaceful and it really does run afoul as what we believe as Americans and our First Amendment rights."
Local 24 News has reached out to Governor Bill Lee's office and has not heard back from them.