“A person who attacked a police officer could already expect to suffer a harsher punishment than a person who attacked a civilian; however, in 2016 the Louisiana Legislature decided that the state needed a so-called Blue Lives Matter law. That law adds law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel to the groups of people covered by the state’s hate-crime statute.
“There are some people who shrugged at the new law as a ridiculous redundancy. Why should we get exercised at the Legislature deciding to get tough on people who attack police when the state’s statutes are already plenty tough on people who attack police?”