SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS — Rep. Terri Bryant, a Republican from Illinois, intends to make it a crime to record a fight with the intention of posting the video online.
A fight video that was filmed in her hometown of Murphysboro was posted to Facebook and she says she found it disturbing. No one was seriously injured in the fight.
“Instead of getting help, they opened their cellphones,” Bryant said, according to the AP. “I just want to send a clear message that it is unacceptable to stage these fights or be a willing bystander.”
The proposed legislation would make it a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct to post fight videos online.
A Synopsis for the bill reads: “Provides that it is also disorderly conduct to knowingly upload a video of a crime being committed, a gang-related fight, a battery committed with the intent to cause a person to be made unconscious, or other display of violence to a social media website or social networking website with the intent to promote or condone that activity or refuse to provide a law enforcement agency or peace officer with that uploaded video upon request of that agency or officer. Provides that a violation is a Class A misdemeanor.”
Amid backlash, the lawmaker insists she isn’t infringing on 1st amendment rights.
