New federal felony for road blockades—5 years in prison for protest tactic
H.R. 4015 — Safe and Open Streets Act · Filed by David Rouzer (R-NC) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Jun 13, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill amends federal law to create a new federal crime: blocking a public road or highway in a way that interferes with commerce. The penalty is up to 5 years in prison and/or a fine. The bill broadens the existing federal extortion statute (18 U.S.C. § 1951) to include road blockades as a form of commerce interference, whereas the current law focuses on threats or violence.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is the insertion of a new federal crime into the extortion statute. It is not a deregulation, subsidy, or carve-out; it is a straightforward expansion of federal criminal liability. The title 'Safe and Open Streets Act' frames the expansion as a public-safety measure, but the mechanism is purely criminal-law expansion.
What the text implies
- Road blockades, a primary tactic of protest movements (civil rights, climate, labor, anti-war), now carry federal felony exposure (5 years) in addition to state charges, creating a chilling effect on disruptive protest.
- The bill amends the definition of 'interference with commerce' to include any blockade affecting 'any article or commodity in commerce,' which is extremely broad and could capture even small-scale or localized blockades.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who it affects
The bill creates a new federal felony for road blockades, which are a common protest tactic. Citizens engaged in civil disobedience or protest now face up to 5 years in federal prison, a significant escalation from state-level enforcement.