Hawkeye Reporter

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a new bill into law, called the "Back the Blue" law, which will lead to penalties for those associated with protest-related crimes against officers. 

While Reynolds did say that peaceful protest as stated in the First Amendment of the Constitution is encouraged, breaking the law is not and violence is not. 

"The public peace is too important, and the safety of our officers too precious, to tolerate destructive behavior," Reynolds said, as reported by Fox News. 

"We encourage First Amendment rights to protest peacefully, but if you break the law, you're going to be held accountable," Reynolds was quoted by KCCI-TV in Des Moines as saying.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa protested its opposition to the law on Twitter, writing, "Because this law aims to stifle lawful protesters, it is nothing less than an attack on free speech in our state."

While Reynold's passed this bill despite opposition, Reynold's also worked last year to help end police brutality. On June 12, 2020, Reynolds signed into law a bill that banned police chokeholds, allowed the state's Attorney General to investigate deaths caused by officers and banned hiring police officers who had previously been fired for misconduct or quit before being fired, the Des Moines Register reported.

As part of the new "Back the Blue" law, rioting will be penalized as a felony and increased penalties for blocking streets now exist, Fox News reported.