Georgia
Georgia Hollows Out Right to Peaceful Assembly
Georgia’s ruling party has introduced new legislation that would dramatically weaken protections for peaceful assembly, further shrinking democratic space and flouting basic human rights standards guaranteed by the country’s constitution and international law.
The bill, tabled on December 8, is being reviewed under an expedited procedure without a substantiated justification for bypassing the ordinary legislative timeline.
The bill’s provisions would significantly broaden the requirement that protest organizers submit written notification before holding an assembly. Current law requires prior notification five days before the protest only when it would block a road used by automobile traffic. The new bill would extend this requirement to any roadway intended for vehicles or pedestrians. In practice, the obligation would arise for almost all assemblies held on city streets, near administrative buildings, or around political institutions, severely limiting the ability to organize protests.
The draft law would also grant the police wide discretion to impose binding instructions on the time, location, or route of assemblies. These instructions could be justified on broad grounds including “protecting public order,” ensuring the normal functioning of institutions, preventing obstruction of pedestrian or vehicle movement, or allegedly protecting human rights. The vague phrasing of these provisions increases the risk of authorities’ arbitrary interference and unjustified restrictions on peaceful gatherings.
The bill also introduces harsh new penalties for administrative offenses related to assemblies. Failure to submit advance notification—currently punishable by a 2,000-Georgian lari (about US$742) fine—would carry up to 20 days of administrative detention. Failure to comply with a police order to relocate or terminate an assembly would be punishable by up to 15 days of detention for protest participants or up to 20 days for organizers. Repeated violations would constitute a felony, punishable by up to one year in prison for participants and up to four years for organizers.
The bill’s introduction comes at a time of intensifying efforts by Georgia’s authorities to curb pro-democracy protests. By expanding prior-notification requirements, increasing police discretion, and imposing severe penalties, the new legal provisions would effectively hollow out the right to peaceful assembly.
The Georgian government should withdraw the bill and ensure all regulation of public assemblies fully complies with democratic standards and Georgia’s human rights obligations.
Georgia
Falcons address biggest hole with Georgia prospect in new mock draft
For a long time it seemed the Atlanta Falcons were purposefully avoiding drafting prospects from Georgia for some reason. There are signs that’s changing with the new front office regime, though. Last month Kirby Smart commented on how his program is developing a relationship with the Falcons.
That’s a good sign for Atlanta’s defensive front-seven, because that group needs all the help they can get and it’s where the Bulldogs have thrived the most in recent years. Jalon Walker is helping to reinvigorate their pass rush, and more help could be on the way soon.
In a new five-round mock draft from NFL.com, the Falcons hit up that local resource again and take Georgia defensive tackle Christen Miller at No. 48 overall.
At the combine Miller checked in at 6-foot-4, 321 pounds with 33″ arms and 10″ hands. Here’s the highlight reel.
Like most nose tackle prospects, Miller’s college production (four sacks, 11.5 TFL) doesn’t exactly jump off the page.
However, the scouting report on Miller mentions both upper and lower body power in addition to good balance. Those traits should make him a solid nose tackle at the next level.
If the Falcons do end up drafting Miller, he should project to be starting up front in Week 1.
Georgia
6-foot alligator delays Delta flight taking off from Georgia airport
A Delta flight was delayed after a massive alligator plopped itself on the taxiway of a Georgia airport, according to reports.
Recently unearthed air traffic control audio captured the unusual moment the Delta pilot noticed the lazing gator at the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport on the evening of March 20, WDSU reported.
“There’s a six-foot gator sitting on his two legs,” the pilot said over the radio.
“Six foot?” the tower controller asked, to which the pilot replied, “Yeah. He’s about six foot.”
“He just laid down,” the pilot added.
Airport crew responded and safely removed the alligator to the airport, then relocated it outside the airport grounds, the outlet reported.
No one was injured during the incident, authorities added. It’s unclear how the alligator managed to wander into the airport unchecked.
Flight operations resumed shortly after the reptile was removed, the outlet said.
Georgia
Passover ad featuring challah sparks backlash for Georgia Senate candidate | The Jerusalem Post
A Georgia Democratic candidate for the state Senate came under ridicule over the weekend after a Passover ad published in the Atlanta Jewish Times reportedly featured challah, a leavened bread traditionally avoided during the holiday. The controversy spread on Saturday after Atlanta Journal-Constitution political reporter Greg Bluestein posted about the ad on X.
Nathalie Kanani is running for Georgia State Senate District 14, and has publicly described herself as a candidate focused on affordability, healthcare, housing, education, and workers’ issues. In a LinkedIn post published about a month ago, she said she had officially qualified to run for the seat.
The issue appears to have stemmed from a holiday greeting in the Atlanta Jewish Times Passover edition, which was published this past week and included a wide range of Passover-themed community content and messages.
Bluestein wrote on X that a Georgia Senate candidate’s Passover ad in that week’s Atlanta Jewish Times “features challah,” adding, “It’s the thought that counts, I guess.” His post helped push the item into broader political and Jewish social media circles.
The mockery built quickly. Raw Story, which aggregated the reaction, quoted conservative commentator Jonah Goldberg joking that the image was like serving a “Yom Kippur BLT sandwich,” while progressive commentator Molly Jong-Fast called it “incredible” and added that “Veep was a documentary.” The same report also cited Georgia state Rep. Esther Panitch criticizing the mistake and noting that, as the only Jewish member of the Georgia General Assembly, she was available for “holiday consults.”
During Passover, Jews avoid hametz (leavened grain products), and bread is among the clearest examples of foods excluded from the holiday. Matzah, the flat unleavened bread eaten during Passover, is one of the most recognizable symbols of the festival.
That made challah, a braided bread commonly associated with Shabbat and other Jewish occasions, an especially awkward choice for a Passover greeting. For many Jewish readers, it signaled a basic misunderstanding of one of Judaism’s best-known observances.
As of Sunday, Kanani’s campaign had not issued any publicly visible response in the sources reviewed for this report.
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