I was just playing DA.068 and one of my ships on autoattack was trying to kill an enemy warship. Sitting between my ship and the warship was an enemy freighter under the protection of a galactic privateer. I killed the game after 30 or so "Step off!!! This ship is under the protection..." messages.

It's cool that ships on autoattack will merrily shoot at any enemy ships that get in its way, but it needs to go around protected freighters.