INDIANAPOLIS | Gov. Mitch Daniels has signed a law explicitly authorizing Hoosiers to physically resist police if officers are breaking the law.

Senate Enrolled Act 1, approved by the Republican governor late Tuesday night, permits a person to use reasonable force against a public servant, including police officers, to protect themselves from injury caused by the imminent use of unlawful force, to prevent illegal entry into a home or vehicle, or stop the unlawful taking of a person's property.

"Contrary to some impressions, the bill strengthens the protection of Indiana law enforcement officers by narrowing the situations in which someone would be justified in using force against them," Daniels said. "Unless a person is convinced an officer is acting unlawfully, he cannot use any force of any kind.

"In the real world, there will almost never be a situation in which these extremely narrow conditions are met."

The Republican-controlled General Assembly approved the legislation in response to a May 2011 Indiana Supreme Court ruling that said Hoosiers never have a right to physically resist police, even when police are breaking the law.