Why would the government need to ban body armor unless it thought it would fight its citizens?

From Congressman Mike Honda:

Washington, DC – Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA17) today introduced the Responsible Body Armor Possession Act of 2014, which allows law enforcement to respond to active shooters more effectively. It accomplishes this by prohibiting the sale, purchase, use, or possession of enhanced military-grade body armor by anyone who is not a member of law enforcement, active duty military, or other authorized users.

“There is no reason this type of armor, which is designed for warfare, should be available in our communities except for those who need it, like law enforcement,” Congressman Honda said. “There’s nothing more dangerous than what a well-armored, unstoppable active shooter can do. This bill is common-sense and long overdue.”

The Responsible Body Armor Possession Act has the support of Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley, Alameda County Sheriff Gregory Ahern, Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith, Santa Clara Chief of Police Mike Sellers, and Milpitas Chief of Police Steve Pangelinan; along with the Fraternal Order of Police, the Violence Policy Center, the Coalition for Peace Action, and Stop Handgun Violence.

Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said, “There is an ongoing arms race between violent criminals and police officers. Let’s make sure that the men and women who stand bravely between us and the gunfire win that high-stakes race. Let’s make sure criminals and gang-bangers never walk our streets shielded with military-grade body armor and the arrogance of someone who cannot be stopped.”

 Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley said, “I commend Congressman Honda on this important piece of legislation, and thank him for his long-standing leadership in keeping our communities safe and strong.  This law will serve to combat our nation’s epidemic of gun violence and protect communities and law enforcement from mass shootings.”

“By limiting civilian access to body armor that is designed to protect against ‘law enforcement ammunitions’ and weapons that are ‘generally only used in tactical situations,’ the legislation would be an important step forward in reducing the availability of military-style gear that enables shooters to attack innocent civilians and confront law enforcement responders with a level of firepower that has no place on America’s streets,” said Kristen Rand of the Violence Policy Center.