#DefundThePolice has won; America has lost, at least for now.
Police have tough enough jobs even when their elected leaders have their backs; when police departments’ own governments abandon them, the breakdown comes hard and fast.
Twitter lit up over the last week with disturbing videos of violence and lawlessness in America’s big cities, and not just in Seattle’s CHOP “autonomous” area. Perhaps the most disturbing thing about the videos is the sheer number of them.
Here’s a recent view of Minneapolis. Kyle Hooten says, “Based on the name of the restaurant in the background it looks like this gunfight occurred right here, roughly a 15-minute drive from the State Capitol Building.”
Looks like the new community policing isn't functioning so well on the streets of #Minneapolis
Why didn't people call a social worker when they started shooting? pic.twitter.com/McviqZNTut
— BasedPoland (@BasedPoland) June 28, 2020
Last week, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to #DefundThePolice, which goes against the city charter’s requirement to operate and pay a police department. Legalities aside, the message was sent loud and clear to law enforcement and lawbreakers alike.
Pity the poor majority of decent people caught in the middle.
In Bill de Blasio’s New York City, even a Queer Pride Parade turned violent.
Why are people attacking cops at a Pride parade in NYC? pic.twitter.com/q9pT6uaboj
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) June 29, 2020
New York is rapidly descending into what might best be called madness. 1010 Wins radio reported on Sunday that “there have been 112 victims in 83 shootings over a nine-day period ending Saturday, according to police.”
The report says that amid calls to #DefundThePolice…
…ahead of the June 30 deadline for the city budget, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said last week that the city’s homicide rate had hit a 5-year high and that the criminal justice system was “imploding.” The number of people shot has risen 42 percent compared to last year.
Brooklyn community advocate Tony Herbert told 1010 WINS he’s anguished over the rise in violence.
“It has just been ridiculous how it has taken place, because we saw a serious decline over a five year period and we have working relationships to work with our police department with their community policing,” he said. “Now look at what we’re faced with. I have not seen anything like this in my entire life living here in New York.”
Portland was the first city to allow antifa to run wild. The results — coming soon to a city near you? — speak for themselves in this video shot by Andy Ngo on Friday.
Life inside CHOP is filled with random violence and gun-toting citizen patrols — or whatever they’re called — enforcing whatever it is that passes for law.
Serious pic.twitter.com/znZhrMEiOp
— Beautiful Villain (@Villain_Phoenix) June 29, 2020
Local reports claim that two black men were circling CHOP in a white SUV, firing off shots. One of them is dead, another in critical condition.
#DefundThePolice: One Man Dead in CHOP Shooting as Antifastan Leaders Plan to Move Into Police Station
Far from relieving racial tensions like the civil rights movement of the ’50s and ’60s attempted to do, today’s “protestors” seek to exacerbate them for political gain.
I've never heard somebody seriously use the term "cracker" or say that "all lives don't matter" until today in Minneapolis/St. Paul: pic.twitter.com/it65d5l369
— Kyle Hooten (@KyleHooten2) June 27, 2020
But don’t worry, folks — Democrat Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is on this.
Is he comfortable? No.
Is he making the cat mad by sitting in his favorite spot? Yep. pic.twitter.com/A5vmn9Ymg4
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) June 29, 2020
Michael Tracey has put together a Twitter photo-essay of the economic damage wrought by the growing lawlessness.
Start here, and just click and scroll.
I’m in Minneapolis. First place I stop, most of the block is still boarded up. This grocery and tobacco store is owned by an Iranian, neighbor tells me. “They took everything.” Owner is deliberating whether to permanently close after the riots pic.twitter.com/RzgNrbeogv
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) June 28, 2020
Needless to say, these are all mom & pop joints that bring jobs and vitality to urban neighborhoods.
Multiracial, too, I might add. All this talk about using #DefundThePolice to combat racism sure is hurting an awful lot of minorities.
Then there’s this underreported story from Minneapolis on Friday:
Unless the victim can get "3 blocks away" from the area cops won't be responding unless it's "life threatening."
Also, dispatcher said the person who called 911 was being uncooperative and not giving enough information.#HeardOnDispatch #MplsCrime #Mpls— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) June 27, 2020
If you’re interested in digging deeper into this one, audio recordings of the police dispatch are available here.
Minneapolis City Council Members Who Voted to #DefundThePolice Get $4,500/Day Private Security
What is maybe most disturbing is the celebration of racial incidents.
This last video is not easy to watch. The Twitter comment — “Who knows what had happened but they deserve to be knocked out” — perfectly, tragically, suits the mindlessness of the violence.
Who knows what had happened but they deserve to be knocked out Black power! pic.twitter.com/7SI6zbrfUj
— Brother tyrone X (@tyrone_brother) June 27, 2020
I haven’t been able to find anything on what might have become of those three young men lying prone and unconscious on the pavement.
If we were to build a memorial to #DefundThePolice, maybe it should be those three victims and the menacing mob hovering above them.
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