DAPHNE — Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said he supports any effort to ensure the safety of police and the public as long as it's constitutional.
Senate Bill 293, sponsored by State Sen. April Weaver (R-Brierfield), would create a new criminal offense of "interference with a first responder" if an individual remained within 25 feet of law enforcement, firefighters or EMA personnel after being told to vacate an area.
Marshall said he hasn't seen the bill, but he feels it is important for the government to allow authorities to do their jobs while allowing the public to exercise free speech. He said that, for example, in the case of a protest, the bill could protect both officers and protesters.
"When we've seen examples of individuals prohibiting law enforcement from exercising their lawful duties, that's when we've seen bad things happen," Marshall said. "And to the extent they're [law enforcement is] trying to create a perimeter, they're not obstructing the ability to protest, not trying to keep them from being able to exercise those personal rights, but they're simply doing it in a way to ensure safety."
Interference with a first responder would be a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $6,000.
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