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In response to the unprecedented protests at the home of the Supreme Court Justices, the US Senate passed a bipartisan bill Monday that would expand the security protection of immediate family members of the Supreme Court.

The bill was passed through a unanimous consent request and shows the urgency lawmakers had to ensure that the justices and their families had significant protection needs after protesters seemed determined to make their lives difficult. This comes a week after the leak of a draft opinion that would overturn Roe v Wade was given to Politico.

Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn who sponsored the Supreme Court Police Parity Act discussed the need for action.   

“The events of the past week have intensified the focus on Supreme Court Justices’ families, who are unfortunately facing threats to their safety in today’s increasingly polarized political climate,” said Cornyn in a news release ahead of the bill’s passage Monday evening. “We must act to ensure Justices and their families are protected from those who wish to cause them harm by extending Supreme Court police security to family members.”

The concern is that some protests have turned violent. In Los Angeles, a pro-abortion crowd began throwing rocks and bottles at police injuring at least one police officer, and a citywide tactical alert was issued.

The protesters have so far been peaceful in front of the homes of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the leaked draft opinion, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts. Yet the language used by the protesters has drawn some worry that things could get out of hand.

The protest at Kavanaugh’s house is an example of that. Neighbor Lacei Wooten-Holway, told the Washington Post that “I organize peaceful candlelit vigils in front of his house. … We’re about to get doomsday, so I’m not going to be civil to that man at all.”

Do you think that these protestors are doing something illegal and should face consequences of harassing justices?