U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, a Republican from Northeast Indiana, has proposed a bill in Congress that would render people ineligible for federal unemployment aid if they're convicted of federal crimes related to demonstrations like those that have continued for more than a week in Kenosha.
The “Support Peaceful Protest Act," which was introduced on Friday, would require convicted rioters to pay for the cost of federal policing of the riot and be ineligible for federal unemployment assistance.
“Antifa thugs are descending on suffering communities, disrupting peaceful protests and leaving violence, looting and vandalism in their wake," Rep. Banks said in a news release. They turned Milwaukee, Seattle and Portland into warzones, and now they’re moving the chaos to Kenosha, Wisconsin. Who knows which community is next?”
In an interview on Fox News, Banks said he decided to introduce the bill after two of his elderly constituents were harassed by protesters while leaving the White House after President Trump's nomination acceptance speech last Thursday.
"If this happened in a community in Northeast Indiana, that Antifa thug would be arrested and charged with assault, and should be behind bars, but they're not, because these big city mayors are turning a blind eye to this type of violence," he said.
"Jobless rioters" are able to take part demonstrations as a result of enhanced federal benefits they've received due to the coronavirus pandemic, Rep. Banks said.
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"They shouldn't receive it any longer if they're found guilty of causing violence and riots in streets," he added.
