Georgia's Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that allows police officers to be prosecuted under the hate crime law.

The move came just days after the state officials stoked the anger of many supporters of the bill.

It was widely criticized by civil rights groups and Democratic politicians after Republicans in the Senate added "status of being or having been a first responder" that removed protections for police from hate crimes legislation. 

Senator Bill Cowsert of Athens introduced the changed in the bill.

According to a report by ABC News, first responders were removed as a protected class after lawmakers reached a compromise with the minority party.

The senators also added "sex" as a protected factor in the law.

Calls for the state to impose hate crime laws grew following the death of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man fatally shot by two White men, while he was jogging in Brunswick in February.

Nationwide protests over police brutality further fueled the calls.

The hate crime legislation or House Bill 426 was passed over a year ago.

Under the bill, suspects may receive additional penalties for crimes motivated by the victim's gender, race, color, or disability.

Dissolving Police Departments

On Friday, the state's House of Representatives passed a bill that would allow residents to vote on whether they want to dissolve county police departments.

If the police department is dissolved, the authority would be given to the county sheriff's offices.

Should the Senate pass the bill, it would fall to Governor Brian Kemp to decide how much power county voters would have, the Fox News reported.

Glynn County has a history of tampering with crime scenes and retaliating against whistleblowers.

In February, the Glynn County Police Department allegedly allowed Arbery's killers, Gregory and Travis McMichael, to go home following the fatal shooting.

According to a report by the New York Times, the officers encountered their former colleague, who allegedly had the victim's blood on his hands, took down his version of events, and then let him and his son walk free.

Later that day, the 25-year-old victim's mother, Wanda Cooper, received a call from investigators, who said her son was involved in a burglary and was killed by the homeowner -- a version the suspects told police.

Glynn County officials never formally charged or arrested anyone in connection with the February 23 shooting.

The case also received very little attention until the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which took over two months after the incident, arrested former investigator, Gregory, and his son, Travis, for murder and aggravated assault.

In mid-May, investigators also arrested William "Roddie" Bryan Jr. on charges of felony murder.

Bryan, who is also White, recorded the encounter between Arbery and the McMichaels.

Activists claimed his video, which garnered the attention of millions online, and proved that Bryan was more than a bystander.

Bryan had been considered a participant before footage of the crime appeared online.

The suspect appeared in the initial police report of the killing, which was based on the statement given by the McMichaels.


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