An Indiana Republican congressman has introduced a bill that would bar violent demonstrators from federal unemployment benefits.
The Support Peaceful Protest Act, the brainchild of Rep. Jim Banks, also would fine people convicted on federal disturbance charges any amount up to to the federal law-enforcement costs of the demonstration.
In a statement on the legislation, Mr. Banks said the bill would cut off people found guilty of federal charges related to violent protests from the government subsidies on which he said they depend.
“Antifa thugs are descending on suffering communities, disrupting peaceful protests and leaving violence, looting and vandalism in their wake. They turned Milwaukee, Seattle and Portland into warzones, and now they’re moving the chaos to Kenosha, Wisconsin. Who knows which community is next? Due to enhanced federal benefits, taxpayers are giving wages to jobless rioters that are destroying our communities. We need to cut them off from their funding and make them feel the full financial consequences of their actions,” he said.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.