Make blocking traffic a felony and a federal crime

Across the country Monday, thousands of United States citizens were detained against their will by criminal protesters.

In Seattle and Chicago , travelers were blocked from entering the airport. In New York City, the Brooklyn Bridge was shut down. In Philadelphia , all of Center City came to a standstill. In San Francisco , commuters on the Golden Gate Bridge were trapped in their cars for five hours, while across the bay in Oakland traffic in both directions on I-880 was blocked for six.

None of these protests were legal. While all citizens have a First Amendment right to express their opinions, they do not have any right whatsoever to impede the free movement of others. The Supreme Court has always held that the government may impose content-neutral restrictions on the time, place, and manner of free expression as long as the government can also show there is a substantial government interest in the imposed restrictions.