NC House Speaker Suggests 48 Hour Hold On Rioters Accused Of Felonies

CHARLOTTE, NC – The North Carolina Speaker of the House says he’d like to crackdown on violence and arson during demonstrations. Rep. Tim Moore floated the idea of a 48 hour hold on people accused of felony crimes during a riot. 

“We need to toughen the penalties when it comes to rioting and looting,” said Moore, of Cleveland County. 

Moore says the hold would apply to anyone accused of committing a serious assault or arson during a riot. 

“If someone is doing that, they’re not protesting. I mean they are endangering the lives of other people. And that’s not right,” said Moore. 

Moore says a 48 hour hold would allow people to “cool off.”

“I think folks ought to feel free to go out and protest. But at the same time, we have to balance that with the rights of other folks. People who expect to not have their businesses destroyed and broken into,” explained Moore. 

“It once again dehumanizes us and says we don’t have any rights. That bothers me,” said Corine Mack, the Charlotte NAACP President. 

She says the idea is an attempt to suppress voices in the street and she worries, if written into law, police would abuse the 48 hour hold. 

“We’re not going to have any holds. A person has a right to peacefully protest,” said Mack. 

Moore says he created a task force to address some concerns regarding policing that have arisen from protests. 

 He says it’s unlikely that any law regarding a 48 hour hold will pass this session due to time constraints.