Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) is set to reintroduce legislation to increase penalties for assaulting police amid recent protests in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
The legislation, which Gonzales previously introduced in 2023<\/a>, aims to \u201cincrease jail time and civil fines for assaulting a law enforcement officer or interfering with the performance of their official duties\u201d and is named the Curbing Offenses on Policing Services Act (COPS Act) according to a Monday press release from Gonzales. <\/p>\n \u201cThe chaos unleashed by rioters in Los Angeles this weekend is anything but a peaceful protest\u2014it\u2019s anarchy,\u201d Gonzales said in the release.<\/p>\n \u201cRadical activists damaged Border Patrol and ICE vehicles while these agents were on duty, and as a result, injuries were reported. It\u2019s time to highlight a very clear message: if you harm a law enforcement officer, you\u2019re going to face severe consequences,\u201d he added. \u201cThis week, I will introduce the COPS Act in Congress to increase charges for anyone who assaults our law enforcement personnel or keeps them from performing their official duties.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Gonzales\u2019s release, the COPS Act looks to take actions that include increasing the amount of time spent in prison by an extra year \u201cfor anyone who forcibly assaults, resists, opposes, impedes, intimidates, or interferes with federal officers in performing their duties or as a result of their duties.\u201d<\/p>\n