‘Blue Lives Matter’ Bill Proposed in NY

New York’s state legislature is set to take up a bill that would make it a hate crime to physically assault a police officer. The bill, dubbed the “Blue Lives Matter” law, would add police officers as a protected class and classify crimes against them as hate crimes. “It’s based on this climate in this country right now where police officers are being abused and they’re being disrespected, and we’re seeing they have a target on their back, in Louisiana and in Dallas,” said Ronald Castorina, the assemblyman who proposed the legislation. “You can envision this happening at a protest, where somebody might throw a rock or a bottle or a punch.” A similar measure was passed in Louisiana in June.