Fuck LA Freedom Caucus
The Louisiana Freedom Caucus has issued a press statement that critics say promotes vigilante violence, suppresses the right to protest, and signals the state’s alarming shift toward racial and ideological authoritarianism.
On June 12, the caucus praised a newly passed law—pushed by far-right legislators it supports—that grants civil immunity to drivers who injure or kill someone while fleeing a protest if they “reasonably believe” they’re in danger. According to the release, the law “protects” citizens who use their vehicles to escape “riots,” even when that escape ends in death.
“Louisiana law now provides civil immunity to any driver who reasonably believes they or their passengers are in immediate danger from individuals illegally blocking a public roadway,” the release states.
That kind of vague, open-ended language has sparked widespread alarm. Legal experts and activists warn it opens the door to lethal force against peaceful protesters—justified after the fact with a flimsy claim of fear.
This isn’t about safety. It’s about silencing dissent. The message to Black and Brown communities is loud and clear: if you protest, we might run you over. And the law will back us up.
The Louisiana Freedom Caucus didn’t author the law. But they’ve made it their mission to amplify the far-right Republican legislators who did—including Rep. Jay Gallé, a close caucus ally. And this isn’t happening in a vacuum.
The same political network is leading a coordinated assault on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across Louisiana. Just weeks ago, a bill passed the state House banning DEI-related instruction in public universities. It blocks any required education on race, gender identity, systemic bias, or anti-racism—effectively stripping students of the tools needed to understand injustice in America.
“To me, this is an anti-Black bill,” said Rep. Edmond Jordan during a floor debate.
“This is the most racially oppressive piece of legislation I’ve seen,” added Rep. Candace Newell.
Whether it’s shielding drivers who kill protesters or gutting education around equity and justice, the message from Louisiana’s far-right is clear: their version of “freedom” doesn’t include you if you’re Black, Brown, queer, poor, or progressive.
And while these policies disproportionately target marginalized communities, they endanger all Louisianians. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminded us, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
This isn’t freedom. This is control.
And we have to call it what it is.
