Hope, Young and Carter Oppose Bill Criminalizing Peaceful Assembly

Hope, Young and Carter Oppose Bill Criminalizing Peaceful Assembly

  Joint Press Release | Offices of State Reps. Kara Hope, Stephanie Young, and Tyrone Carter

LANSING, Mich., Sept. 16, 2025 — State Reps. Kara Hope (D-Holt), Stephanie A. Young (D-Detroit) and Tyrone Carter (D-Detroit) are speaking out against House Bill 4664, Republican legislation that would create criminal penalties for blocking a state highway while participating in an assembly. Under current law, “interfering with the normal flow of traffic” is a civil infraction; HB 4664 would make it a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $5,000.

“The U.S. Constitution protects the people’s right to speak, assemble and petition — not just when it is convenient or politically popular,” Hope said. “This Republican legislation takes conduct that is currently a civil infraction and turns it into a crime with jail time. That is a profound shift in how our state treats dissent and loyal opposition; it risks chilling lawful protest through vague language and selective enforcement. In effect, this bill is about criminalizing First Amendment rights, not protecting public safety.”

Civil liberties advocates have warned that the change would subdue peaceful demonstrations and invite uneven enforcement due to the vague language of the bill.

“This legislation is yet another attack on free speech and civil rights. As lawmakers, we should be doing all we can to uphold the U.S. Constitution and defend people’s rights and freedoms. I firmly opposed this bill because residents shouldn’t be criminalized for standing up for what they believe in and expressing their constitutional right to free speech, nor should they be victimized because of it,” said Young.

“Laws need to be clear, fair and focused on real public safety. HB 4664 does not do that,” Carter said. “We can keep roads safe without criminalizing protest or giving confusing signals about what is and isn’t allowed. The chaos this would cause for both law enforcement and peaceful protests in the streets is untenable. This legislation is just about politics for House Republicans — it’s pulled straight from the Trump playbook of federal-style policing in American cities, and it has no place in Michigan. That’s why I voted no.”

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