Protecting Our Protesters Act of 2025
Key claim: The Protecting Our Protesters Act of 2025 would amend the federal deprivation-of-rights-under-color-of-law statute to explicitly classify use of force during protest responses as a civil rights violation and eliminate the death penalty as a possible punishment.
Abstract
(HR3651 · 119th Congress) Protecting Our Protesters Act of 2025 This bill modifies the criminal civil rights statute that prohibits deprivation of rights under color of law. Current law prohibits the deprivation of federally protected rights, privileges, or immunities by a government official (including a law enforcement officer). This bill specifies that use of force during a response to a protest constitutes a deprivation of rights, privileges, or immunities. Additionally, the bill removes the death penalty as a penalty option if death results or if certain aggravating factors are present. Latest action (2025-05-29): Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Why this matters
The bill would statutorily clarify that law-enforcement use of force against protesters falls within the federal color-of-law civil rights framework, potentially lowering ambiguity in prosecutions under 18 U.S.C. § 242 and expanding accountability pathways for demonstrators injured during protest responses. Removing the death penalty as a sentencing option also narrows the punishment range for officers and officials prosecuted under the statute, a contested trade-off between accountability scope and maximum-penalty severity.