GOP bill would let prosecutors charge protesters with racketeering for damaging property

By: Gloria Rebecca Gomez

Outlets: Arizona Mirror

Published: April 23, 2026

Words: 852

Last Updated: 2 months, 2 weeks ago

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A Republican lawmaker who watched as Trump supporters broke into and ransacked the U.S. Capitol in 2021 wants to send Arizona protesters to prison for rioting if they damage property.

Under the proposal from state Sen. Mark Finchem, R-Prescott, Arizona’s legal definition of a riot would be changed to include when two or more people “recklessly use force or violence” in a way that damages another person’s property. Currently, a riot is limited to …

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