Federal Judge Blocks Louisiana Police Buffer Zone Law

A federal judge has blocked a Louisiana law that allows police to arrest people who come within 25 feet of an on-duty law enforcement officer after they have been ordered to disperse.

The so-called police buffer law violates the Fourteenth Amendment because it is too vague, U.S. District Court Judge John deGravelles said in a ruling on Friday.

The law is not clear as to what actions might prompt officers to issue an order to retreat, the judge said, and it lacks standards that officers should follow in issuing such orders.

"The threat of arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement is great," deGravelles wrote.

The judge granted a preliminary injunction and barred the state from enforcing the law while the legal challenge moves through court.

After Act 259 passed last year, several media outlets sued. Not only is the statute too vague, they argued, but it also constitutes a violation of journalists' First Amendment right to observe and report on newsworthy events.

"Plaintiffs' First Amendment right to gather the news is likely to be impaired if the Act is not enjoined," deGravelles wrote, agreeing with the news organizations.

Attorney General Liz Murrill is representing the state in the lawsuit. In a statement Friday, Murrill said she had yet to read the judge's order, but promised to continue to defend the law in court.

"We think it is a reasonable time, place, and manner restriction from obstructing and interfering with working police," she said. "We are trying to protect the public. This is a reasonable law."

Murrill's office previously asked the judge to dismiss the case, arguing the lawsuit was invalid, in part, because no one has been prosecuted for violating the law.

The judge disagreed and also ruled Friday against throwing out the case.

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