GOP Lawmaker Wants To Bill Protesters For Police Costs

ST. PAUL (AP) - A Minnesota state representative is proposing to make people pay for police costs if they are convicted of unlawful assembly.

Rep. Nick Zerwas, a Republican from Elk River, cites demonstrations at the Mall of America and following the Jamar Clark shooting in Minneapolis as justification.

Zerwas says Bloomington taxpayers were hit with thousands of dollars in extra costs because police had to respond to a protest spearheaded by the Black Lives Matter group. And he says it took 24 law enforcement agencies to respond when protesters blocked Interstate 94 as part of protests in the wake of Clark's death.

He says his bill would save taxpayers money.