There are now enough videos of police purposefully or needlessly escalating violence yesterday that if you compiled them they would be as long as a Lord of the Rings Extended Edition DVD. They seem to be actively targeting journalists who are just on the ground reporting. And while no one can condone the destruction and looting, you get a CLEAR sense of why the police exist. They exist to protect property and wealth and to keep the underclass under their heel.
You can blame the mayors if you like, but this is EVERY city. Mayors try reign them in and put standards in place and they simply ignore them and march ahead as they were no matter what. They know they are being filmed. They don't care. They view themselves as autonomous mobile fiefdoms that they are in control of . So imagine what happens on the regular when the cameras AREN'T rolling. This is scary, because I can EASILY see these fuckers becoming Trump's personal goon sqaud if he were to contest the results of an election:
If no one understood where and why the term "pig" is used so widely, I think you now have a pretty good idea that it isn't just an unfair slur. There is essentially no difference between the actions of the police and the worst of the rioting. I'd argue it's worse because they are actively causing bodily harm rather than property damage. The reason this is happening is because American policing is broken beyond all repair, and they are showing in real-time why that's the case. No control, no standards. There are examples of many chiefs and sheriffs doing the right thing and meeting the protesters during the day yesterday and honestly listening to concerns and engaging with them. I don't even know if it's their fault. It's elements of the rank of the file and the unions who have the real control.
It's impossible to even post everything without it being an entire page long on it's own. Cops purposefully slashing the tires of ever car in a K-Mart parking lot. Cops literally PULLING DOWN the facemask of a protester so he can mace her directly in the face. Opening fire on journalists who obviously have camera crews right next to them. Destroying medical encampments. When we raided and pillaged Iraq, our troops had far, FAR more stringent rules of engagement than this. And any honest soldier you ask today would tell you the same thing. The criminals are wearing badges. That's the point of all of this:
It's amazing (really not so amazing, entirely predictable) that if you made a venn diagram of the people who are DEFENDING cops opening fire on people standing on their own porch (which the curfew specifically did not apply to) on a residential street, and the people who were crying "tyranny" when asked to wear a facemask in a grocery store, it would be a perfect circle. This is a descent in fascism, and the cops are the brown shirts. They were always going to be:
I mean, who are we hiring for these life and death positions of power?? Because as a commenter in that last thread aptly put it, it seems like a bunch of people who got picked on too much in dodge ball in elementary school and still haven't gotten over it.
Cool - you haven’t really proven anything to support your argument. Yeah - police are almost certainly in the crowds(I saw that video yesterday morning) where did anyone say they weren’t? There is a difference between them being present and them being responsible for breaking windows and starting a riot.
In fact - it’s possible they did exactly that, but unless we can provide evidence to suggest they are responsible, then it’s a conspiracy theory.
Your Antifa argument is both ideological and ignorant. It has as much merit as me saying that that aliens have infiltrated the protest movement and are throwing bricks.
Edit - the weird thing about this argument is: the police are overtly being hostile as @jjstraka34 is pointing out. Why would they go through the effort of being in plainclothes and starting riots when they can just violently attack protestors under any circumstance they’d like?
I’m not arguing that cops are being good guys here. They aren’t. But let’s focus on them being overly violent and murdering black men rather than unprovable conspiracy theories. At least, that’s what I think is important...
It's worth pointing out that 9/11 and the Iraq War are WHY the cops are outfitted like an army, and are acting like one. We gave all this surplus armor and weaponry to local police forces. They were handed countless hammers, and everything they see is a nail. Seems to me Osama Bin Laden and Vladimir Putin proved you don't have to defeat the US. All you need to do is provide a spark, and we'll destroy ourselves.
Imagine if resources had been marshalled to halt the pandemic with the same speed they have been marshalled to stop the uprisings. How long was the center going to hold with the level of wealth inequality, injustice and now death and mass unemployment rampant in this country?? This is a failed state. It's a RICH failed state, but failed nonetheless.
I saw a post on Twitter that compared the GOP to Derek Chauvid, and the Democrats to the cops standing there watching while he did it. That about sums up our political parties. Malicious cruelty and weak, ineffectual indifference:
There was a time when Democrats knew how to leverage and use power. FDR knew how to use power. Lyndon Johnson knew how to use power. They weren't always CORRECT in how they used it, but they understood how it works. All Democrats have now is "gee, we'll try be a little better than these oligarchcal christo-fascists, but not so much that we step on the toes of any existing power structure".
Trump is blaming Antifa for the riots, various Democrats are blaming white supremacists for the riots, and I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.
The riots are happening because people have fucking had it and the dam broke with the George Floyd murder. It was just the match. You're looking at decades of tinder for the flame.
Yes walking down the street makes a person a prodocateurs.
This is the point we are making. People can ASSUME what they want to assume. Just because there are plain clothed cops in the crowd does not mean they are there to cause shit.
The bricks are a setup. But who set them up?
That said, it does seem like the cops are more out of control than the protesters. I was slightly willing to give them arresting the CNN news crew as a one off, but other stories from tonight from other journalist means means it isn’t.
And I wonder how much “enemy of the people” is playing into journalist being targeted as cops sweep the streets. Hopefully people continue to demand answers for this type of action.
So I get the second video. I understand the frustration and I agree with the woman 1000%
But who says that tiny white girl in her 20s was Antifa/Anarchist? And saying as much plays into the government’s hand of calling them a terrorist group.
There was no organization to have 2 girls walk around and spray BLM on buildings. It was probably conceived by them asking themselves “how can we help?” And being immature 20 year olds thought this was their best course of action.
By labelling protesters a certain label you are allowing the government to crack down on that label and any grey area that might be slightly associated with that label.
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I am also surprised Biden hasn’t made this a campaign issue yet. Police reform/ accountability would probably go over quite well across the board except with police unions (but they don’t have any support atm) and Trump’s 33 (the people who will stay die hard Trump regardless of what he does.)
A federal Special Investigation Unit (like the one Ontario uses https://www.siu.on.ca/en/index.php) with mandatory body cams would give citizens an outlet to launch complaints, allow police chiefs to be more connected and concerned about ‘bad apples’ moving to their areas and most importantly, an independent review on police conduct separated from political influence.
It’s not a full solution but at least it is a start and legislators need to start finding ways to prevent these incidents from happening because that meme comparing the two cops to the two political parties is ringing true without some sort of action.
People are protesting because they want to be heard. Tell them that you hear them and start fixing this problem.
Not willing to accept the truth because of hate and bias. This shit goes beyond politics. A fucking shame. Chalk up another push for change destroyed by Antifa/Anarchists and White supremacist groups.
I am also surprised Biden hasn’t made this a campaign issue yet. Police reform/ accountability would probably go over quite well across the board except with police unions (but they don’t have any support atm) and Trump’s 33 (the people who will stay die hard Trump regardless of what he does.)
A federal Special Investigation Unit (like the one Ontario uses https://www.siu.on.ca/en/index.php) with mandatory body cams would give citizens an outlet to launch complaints, allow police chiefs to be more connected and concerned about ‘bad apples’ moving to their areas and most importantly, an independent review on police conduct separated from political influence.
It’s not a full solution but at least it is a start and legislators need to start finding ways to prevent these incidents from happening because that meme comparing the two cops to the two political parties is ringing true without some sort of action.
People are protesting because they want to be heard. Tell them that you hear them and start fixing this problem.
Not willing to accept the truth because of hate and bias. This shit goes beyond politics. A fucking shame. Chalk up another push for change destroyed by Antifa/Anarchists and White supremacist groups.
Ya, that breaking window scene is surreal as well. To the guy dressed in all black, methodically breaking the windows while carrying a umbrella on a sunny day (probably to prevent security cameras from capturing him doing it) to the petite woman holding a pizza box running up to stop him. He stood out completely and it was surprising the cops (if there were any in the area, probably why he chose that area to begin with) didn’t stop and question him before hand and confiscate the hammer.
Regardless of who the guy is, he wasn’t there to protest, he was there to vandalize. He was taking advantage of the situation so that the protesters would be blamed for the damage. Obviously that isn’t right. It goes back to villainizing the protesters and blaming them for something they weren’t apart of.
However, the protesters were part of burning down the police station - you know a symbol of what they are protesting against.
But that’s what always makes me think. Why is a business that has nothing to do with the protests in the first place being targeted? Is it a crime of opportunity? or is it more, like a way to villainize, or even insurance fraud? I always question crap like that living in a capital city who has seen its fair share of protests over the years.
I just refuse to label these people until I am shown proof that who is doing it. Last week, you said it was cops doing it. Now you are saying it is organized Antifa doing it. Maybe the cops are Antifa much like a pyromaniac can be a firefighter. Who knows?
Now don't get me wrong. I strongly believe Antifa are at these protests. I don't think they are as organized or as coordinated as the media and the federal government are saying they are. If they are organizing on the deep web (and more than just a hurrhurr let's go to MN to cause ruckus) show the public a screen capture of the conversation to back up the accusation. Right now, it is just an escape goat to pass the blame for this getting out of hand.
Anyone looting, causing damage or vandalism on random property are opportunist. When they know they can get away with shit (like the looting in the last video you posted) they are going to strike. They are not protesters and I am glad the media and the public are waking up to that assessment. Because by showing vandalism and saying "this was caused by the protest" is just educating tiny white girls that the best way to protest is to grab a can of spray paint and start tagging random buildings.
But anyone can be an opportunist. You don't need to attach a label to them. That is escapism. The public, protesters and definitely the police need to know the difference between someone there to protest and someone there because it's an opportunity to do something illegal.
Some help - did a single video in that bunch actually address antifa? The first guy did, but he was just in his back yard talking into a video camera. I can do the same thing, and it doesnt mean that Antifa was doing anything. The titles all mentioned antifa, but the content of the videos did not, as far as I could tell.
You continue to post videos as though they advance your argument in the slightest. They havent. If anything, they're detrimental to your overall point because not one of them includes any meaningful or credible evidence that Antifa is involved.
Honestly, it seems like you've just decided to conflate "White violent protesters" with antifa.
Some help - did a single video in that bunch actually address antifa? The first guy did, but he was just in his back yard talking into a video camera. I can do the same thing, and it doesnt mean that Antifa was doing anything. The titles all mentioned antifa, but the content of the videos did not, as far as I could tell.
You continue to post videos as though they advance your argument in the slightest. They havent. If anything, they're detrimental to your overall point because not one of them includes any meaningful or credible evidence that Antifa is involved.
Honestly, it seems like you've just decided to conflate "White violent protesters" with antifa.
I am not arguing with anyone. I am not fighting with anyone. You have the right to say what you want. I am not addressing your bait. Well, not anymore anyways.
Some help - did a single video in that bunch actually address antifa? The first guy did, but he was just in his back yard talking into a video camera. I can do the same thing, and it doesnt mean that Antifa was doing anything. The titles all mentioned antifa, but the content of the videos did not, as far as I could tell.
You continue to post videos as though they advance your argument in the slightest. They havent. If anything, they're detrimental to your overall point because not one of them includes any meaningful or credible evidence that Antifa is involved.
Honestly, it seems like you've just decided to conflate "White violent protesters" with antifa.
Seems to be a growing habit of making authoritative, but vague claims, while not presenting sufficient evidence for them.
I think it's really important for folks to take a step back during chaotic news events and not contribute to spreading misinformation. It's always the case that in big news events things are unclear early on. I get the urge to strike while the iron is hot, so to speak, but people should think about practicing some good information hygiene in these times. There's nothing actually gained by being "first" on these stories. Nothing for the cause of fighting police racism. Nothing for the cause of stopping looting. So this is true regardless of where your politics stand.
Just as we've learned during this pandemic, regular people can make choices in their lives that, while seemingly small, end up making a big aggregate difference. Just as it became our personal responsibility to not spread actual germs, so too, we do not have to be conduits of half-truths or outright misinformation over the internet, regardless of how small a space we are doing it in. It's still a form of pollution.
A tanker truck just attempted to barrel full speed into a group of protesters in MPLS. The response, of course, was to tear gas the crowd. I just looked at multiple tweets from the lawyer for the LA police union saying protesters should be shot. I think to the COUNTLESS times the situation with cops in this country has been warned about since we started seeing video evidence in 1992. Police are generally nothing but an occupying force in underclass and minority communites meant to make the more privileged "feel" better.
I also recognize disingenuous bullshit about doing things "peacefully" and the "right way" for what it is. These are, to a person, the same people who lost their shit when Colin Kaepernick respectfully took a knee during the national anthem over this issue because it hurt their feelings while they were stuffing themselves with jalapeno poppers and Miller Lite on Sunday afternoon. And cheered when the President called players like him "sons of bitches" and he was ran out of the NFL. None of these people care about the method in which the message is delivered. They simply aren't interested in hearing it under any circumstances.
Some help - did a single video in that bunch actually address antifa? The first guy did, but he was just in his back yard talking into a video camera. I can do the same thing, and it doesnt mean that Antifa was doing anything. The titles all mentioned antifa, but the content of the videos did not, as far as I could tell.
You continue to post videos as though they advance your argument in the slightest. They havent. If anything, they're detrimental to your overall point because not one of them includes any meaningful or credible evidence that Antifa is involved.
Honestly, it seems like you've just decided to conflate "White violent protesters" with antifa.
I am not arguing with anyone. I am not fighting with anyone. You have the right to say what you want. I am not addressing your bait. Well, not anymore anyways.
You don’t need to be arguing with anyone in order to be making an argument. You don’t need to be arguing with anyone to be told if the argument you are putting forward is problematic. You also said you’re not addressing my “bait”... and then one post later - cited a video that referenced a protest started by anti fascists (the topic of my reply)
First - your video doesn’t suggest antifa was looting or rioting. Just that they started the protest. As before: no one is suggesting antifa isn’t present at some of the protests, just no evidence that they’re masterminding them into violent riots.
Second - didn’t you less than a page ago suggest media is just running a script and cannot be trusted? That video was... local media.
There is definitely something weird going on with these protests. Detroit hasn't been the hotbed of racial tensions that it used to be. Mayor Duggan is a Democrat and he's now saying that outside agitators are trying to spark violence. Agitators from the suburbs and out of state are mostly the ones that have been arrested so far. Duggan also said that evidence of who these people are and what they're trying to do is being gathered, although he wouldn't share any of the evidence, so who knows what the Hell is going on?
There is definitely something weird going on with these protests. Detroit hasn't been the hotbed of racial tensions that it used to be. Mayor Duggan is a Democrat and he's now saying that outside agitators are trying to spark violence. Agitators from the suburbs and out of state are mostly the ones that have been arrested so far. Duggan also said that evidence of who these people are and what they're trying to do is being gathered, although he wouldn't share any of the evidence, so who knows what the Hell is going on?
Again, Fargo, ND has no history of anything like what happened last night. For the entire afternoon, BLM protesters were taking pictures with local police, everything was on track for a day with no arrests or any problems whatsoever. Sometime around sundown, one person throws a water bottle at a line of cops. Cops overreact, start becoming more defiant. Then, within a few hours, people are throwing chairs through the windows of Vinyl Taco and looting JL Beers (downtown restaurants). Now they are saying that devices are being planted in Minneapolis that are causing some of these fires that simply CANNOT be the work of random protesters, but clearly of a coordinated effort.
I've been out of the loop this weekend so haven't been able to chime in until now. Had my first weekend with the guys in 3 months so was busy playing poker, Catan and croquet. Felt good to drink some brewskies with somebody that wasn't my cat for a change.
Anyway, another strange development. Grand Rapids, of all places, had to declare a curfew and call in the National Guard. With Gretchen Whitmer's blessing, I might add. Grand Rapids is definitely not normally a place you'd expect anything like this. I feel like I left an island of normalcy up north and came back to the Twilight Zone!
There is definitely something weird going on with these protests. Detroit hasn't been the hotbed of racial tensions that it used to be. Mayor Duggan is a Democrat and he's now saying that outside agitators are trying to spark violence. Agitators from the suburbs and out of state are mostly the ones that have been arrested so far. Duggan also said that evidence of who these people are and what they're trying to do is being gathered, although he wouldn't share any of the evidence, so who knows what the Hell is going on?
Again, Fargo, ND has no history of anything like what happened last night. For the entire afternoon, BLM protesters were taking pictures with local police, everything was on track for a day with no arrests or any problems whatsoever. Sometime around sundown, one person throws a water bottle at a line of cops. Cops overreact, start becoming more defiant. Then, within a few hours, people are throwing chairs through the windows of Vinyl Taco and looting JL Beers (downtown restaurants). Now they are saying that devices are being planted in Minneapolis that are causing some of these fires that simply CANNOT be the work of random protesters, but clearly of a coordinated effort.
There is definitely something weird going on with these protests. Detroit hasn't been the hotbed of racial tensions that it used to be. Mayor Duggan is a Democrat and he's now saying that outside agitators are trying to spark violence. Agitators from the suburbs and out of state are mostly the ones that have been arrested so far. Duggan also said that evidence of who these people are and what they're trying to do is being gathered, although he wouldn't share any of the evidence, so who knows what the Hell is going on?
So, it's clear now what Trump's plan is for the election. It's to re-run Nixon's 1968 campaign against Humphrey. I'm worried about this to a degree, but there are some problems with assuming it will work. Humphrey was the sitting Vice President. Nixon was the outsider. Trump is the incumbent. And he is basically cowering in the White House throwing out gasoline on the fire tweets. He's calling for "law and order" but it's quite clear he has no interest in actually doing anything to make that happen, only in fomenting more chaos.
Some help - did a single video in that bunch actually address antifa? The first guy did, but he was just in his back yard talking into a video camera. I can do the same thing, and it doesnt mean that Antifa was doing anything. The titles all mentioned antifa, but the content of the videos did not, as far as I could tell.
You continue to post videos as though they advance your argument in the slightest. They havent. If anything, they're detrimental to your overall point because not one of them includes any meaningful or credible evidence that Antifa is involved.
Honestly, it seems like you've just decided to conflate "White violent protesters" with antifa.
I am not arguing with anyone. I am not fighting with anyone. You have the right to say what you want. I am not addressing your bait. Well, not anymore anyways.
You don’t need to be arguing with anyone in order to be making an argument. You don’t need to be arguing with anyone to be told if the argument you are putting forward is problematic. You also said you’re not addressing my “bait”... and then one post later - cited a video that referenced a protest started by anti fascists (the topic of my reply)
First - your video doesn’t suggest antifa was looting or rioting. Just that they started the protest. As before: no one is suggesting antifa isn’t present at some of the protests, just no evidence that they’re masterminding them into violent riots.
Second - didn’t you less than a page ago suggest media is just running a script and cannot be trusted? That video was... local media.
The only thing problematic is your aggressive behaviour towards me. I am not to be held responsible for someone being triggered by the posts I make. I speak in general terms with my opinions. I also have been putting video and links up of what is going on, on the ground and what I am hearing from people close to me and the riots. From my experience dealing with Anarchists, I know what I am talking about. What your beliefs are, are yours. I do feel that you may be involved with these low lifes Anarchists hence the aggressive behaviour towards me, or maybe with a white supremacist group because most Anarchists are white. If I'm wrong on that assumption I apologize, just if the shoe fits.
Consider this formal, I am asking you to stop tunneling me in the comments. I will not argue or debate with you. Please move on, the next personal attack/comment towards me will be reported.
There is definitely something weird going on with these protests. Detroit hasn't been the hotbed of racial tensions that it used to be. Mayor Duggan is a Democrat and he's now saying that outside agitators are trying to spark violence. Agitators from the suburbs and out of state are mostly the ones that have been arrested so far. Duggan also said that evidence of who these people are and what they're trying to do is being gathered, although he wouldn't share any of the evidence, so who knows what the Hell is going on?
Boredom. Frustration. That's what's going on. People are piggybacking off of Floyd's death to vent.
Keep in mind too, schools are closed. Universities are closed. Lots of young people with nothing to do. In a way I don't even judge them that harshly, I did a lot of stupid stuff in high school and college.
Trump's plan was to tear down Biden with Obamagate. He already was lumping the media as co-conspirators so once they correct and fact check him, his base can just discredit the truth. How stupid Americans are (generally speaking) he might have been able to cling to power with this tactic and a few Biden gaffes like the you're-not-black-if-you-don't-vote-for-me stupidity he uttered last week. His plan B (like it was against Hillary) is to call the election a sham once the results comes in. Once again, people will believe him (and Fox who would parrot him).
These protests are a much needed distraction from his coronavirus results. So yes, he is going to continue to throw fire onto the situation and make it worse because he is not the poster boy for all this chaos like he is with the coronavirus and if he can throw a democrat mayor or two under the bus while the country burns, well all the better.
And that's the thing. People are still dying across the US from this virus. Cities are burning to the ground because of the racial and economical inequalities that have been highlighted the last 2 months. And Trump goes and watches a rocket launch, takes full credit for it getting off the ground and says everything is amazing. That's something that Kim Jong-un would do. This is all happening because the US does not have proper leadership or accountability. It use to be able to get away with not having accountability with strong leadership. This is the result of having neither.
In the second video, everyting about those two girls spray painting the building was wrong. Everything. When I think things can't get any weirder, well I guess they can. What was their purpose? They were not protesters.
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You can blame the mayors if you like, but this is EVERY city. Mayors try reign them in and put standards in place and they simply ignore them and march ahead as they were no matter what. They know they are being filmed. They don't care. They view themselves as autonomous mobile fiefdoms that they are in control of . So imagine what happens on the regular when the cameras AREN'T rolling. This is scary, because I can EASILY see these fuckers becoming Trump's personal goon sqaud if he were to contest the results of an election:
If no one understood where and why the term "pig" is used so widely, I think you now have a pretty good idea that it isn't just an unfair slur. There is essentially no difference between the actions of the police and the worst of the rioting. I'd argue it's worse because they are actively causing bodily harm rather than property damage. The reason this is happening is because American policing is broken beyond all repair, and they are showing in real-time why that's the case. No control, no standards. There are examples of many chiefs and sheriffs doing the right thing and meeting the protesters during the day yesterday and honestly listening to concerns and engaging with them. I don't even know if it's their fault. It's elements of the rank of the file and the unions who have the real control.
It's impossible to even post everything without it being an entire page long on it's own. Cops purposefully slashing the tires of ever car in a K-Mart parking lot. Cops literally PULLING DOWN the facemask of a protester so he can mace her directly in the face. Opening fire on journalists who obviously have camera crews right next to them. Destroying medical encampments. When we raided and pillaged Iraq, our troops had far, FAR more stringent rules of engagement than this. And any honest soldier you ask today would tell you the same thing. The criminals are wearing badges. That's the point of all of this:
It's amazing (really not so amazing, entirely predictable) that if you made a venn diagram of the people who are DEFENDING cops opening fire on people standing on their own porch (which the curfew specifically did not apply to) on a residential street, and the people who were crying "tyranny" when asked to wear a facemask in a grocery store, it would be a perfect circle. This is a descent in fascism, and the cops are the brown shirts. They were always going to be:
I mean, who are we hiring for these life and death positions of power?? Because as a commenter in that last thread aptly put it, it seems like a bunch of people who got picked on too much in dodge ball in elementary school and still haven't gotten over it.
In fact - it’s possible they did exactly that, but unless we can provide evidence to suggest they are responsible, then it’s a conspiracy theory.
Your Antifa argument is both ideological and ignorant. It has as much merit as me saying that that aliens have infiltrated the protest movement and are throwing bricks.
Edit - the weird thing about this argument is: the police are overtly being hostile as @jjstraka34 is pointing out. Why would they go through the effort of being in plainclothes and starting riots when they can just violently attack protestors under any circumstance they’d like?
I’m not arguing that cops are being good guys here. They aren’t. But let’s focus on them being overly violent and murdering black men rather than unprovable conspiracy theories. At least, that’s what I think is important...
Imagine if resources had been marshalled to halt the pandemic with the same speed they have been marshalled to stop the uprisings. How long was the center going to hold with the level of wealth inequality, injustice and now death and mass unemployment rampant in this country?? This is a failed state. It's a RICH failed state, but failed nonetheless.
I saw a post on Twitter that compared the GOP to Derek Chauvid, and the Democrats to the cops standing there watching while he did it. That about sums up our political parties. Malicious cruelty and weak, ineffectual indifference:
There was a time when Democrats knew how to leverage and use power. FDR knew how to use power. Lyndon Johnson knew how to use power. They weren't always CORRECT in how they used it, but they understood how it works. All Democrats have now is "gee, we'll try be a little better than these oligarchcal christo-fascists, but not so much that we step on the toes of any existing power structure".
The riots are happening because people have fucking had it and the dam broke with the George Floyd murder. It was just the match. You're looking at decades of tinder for the flame.
Yes walking down the street makes a person a prodocateurs.
This is the point we are making. People can ASSUME what they want to assume. Just because there are plain clothed cops in the crowd does not mean they are there to cause shit.
The bricks are a setup. But who set them up?
That said, it does seem like the cops are more out of control than the protesters. I was slightly willing to give them arresting the CNN news crew as a one off, but other stories from tonight from other journalist means means it isn’t.
And I wonder how much “enemy of the people” is playing into journalist being targeted as cops sweep the streets. Hopefully people continue to demand answers for this type of action.
In the second video you can feel the pain and fustration in the girls voice.
But who says that tiny white girl in her 20s was Antifa/Anarchist? And saying as much plays into the government’s hand of calling them a terrorist group.
There was no organization to have 2 girls walk around and spray BLM on buildings. It was probably conceived by them asking themselves “how can we help?” And being immature 20 year olds thought this was their best course of action.
By labelling protesters a certain label you are allowing the government to crack down on that label and any grey area that might be slightly associated with that label.
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I am also surprised Biden hasn’t made this a campaign issue yet. Police reform/ accountability would probably go over quite well across the board except with police unions (but they don’t have any support atm) and Trump’s 33 (the people who will stay die hard Trump regardless of what he does.)
A federal Special Investigation Unit (like the one Ontario uses https://www.siu.on.ca/en/index.php) with mandatory body cams would give citizens an outlet to launch complaints, allow police chiefs to be more connected and concerned about ‘bad apples’ moving to their areas and most importantly, an independent review on police conduct separated from political influence.
It’s not a full solution but at least it is a start and legislators need to start finding ways to prevent these incidents from happening because that meme comparing the two cops to the two political parties is ringing true without some sort of action.
People are protesting because they want to be heard. Tell them that you hear them and start fixing this problem.
This I agree with.
Quite the opposite:
I just refuse to label these people until I am shown proof that who is doing it. Last week, you said it was cops doing it. Now you are saying it is organized Antifa doing it. Maybe the cops are Antifa much like a pyromaniac can be a firefighter. Who knows?
Now don't get me wrong. I strongly believe Antifa are at these protests. I don't think they are as organized or as coordinated as the media and the federal government are saying they are. If they are organizing on the deep web (and more than just a hurrhurr let's go to MN to cause ruckus) show the public a screen capture of the conversation to back up the accusation. Right now, it is just an escape goat to pass the blame for this getting out of hand.
Anyone looting, causing damage or vandalism on random property are opportunist. When they know they can get away with shit (like the looting in the last video you posted) they are going to strike. They are not protesters and I am glad the media and the public are waking up to that assessment. Because by showing vandalism and saying "this was caused by the protest" is just educating tiny white girls that the best way to protest is to grab a can of spray paint and start tagging random buildings.
But anyone can be an opportunist. You don't need to attach a label to them. That is escapism. The public, protesters and definitely the police need to know the difference between someone there to protest and someone there because it's an opportunity to do something illegal.
You continue to post videos as though they advance your argument in the slightest. They havent. If anything, they're detrimental to your overall point because not one of them includes any meaningful or credible evidence that Antifa is involved.
Honestly, it seems like you've just decided to conflate "White violent protesters" with antifa.
I am not arguing with anyone. I am not fighting with anyone. You have the right to say what you want. I am not addressing your bait. Well, not anymore anyways.
Seems to be a growing habit of making authoritative, but vague claims, while not presenting sufficient evidence for them.
I think it's really important for folks to take a step back during chaotic news events and not contribute to spreading misinformation. It's always the case that in big news events things are unclear early on. I get the urge to strike while the iron is hot, so to speak, but people should think about practicing some good information hygiene in these times. There's nothing actually gained by being "first" on these stories. Nothing for the cause of fighting police racism. Nothing for the cause of stopping looting. So this is true regardless of where your politics stand.
Just as we've learned during this pandemic, regular people can make choices in their lives that, while seemingly small, end up making a big aggregate difference. Just as it became our personal responsibility to not spread actual germs, so too, we do not have to be conduits of half-truths or outright misinformation over the internet, regardless of how small a space we are doing it in. It's still a form of pollution.
I also recognize disingenuous bullshit about doing things "peacefully" and the "right way" for what it is. These are, to a person, the same people who lost their shit when Colin Kaepernick respectfully took a knee during the national anthem over this issue because it hurt their feelings while they were stuffing themselves with jalapeno poppers and Miller Lite on Sunday afternoon. And cheered when the President called players like him "sons of bitches" and he was ran out of the NFL. None of these people care about the method in which the message is delivered. They simply aren't interested in hearing it under any circumstances.
You don’t need to be arguing with anyone in order to be making an argument. You don’t need to be arguing with anyone to be told if the argument you are putting forward is problematic. You also said you’re not addressing my “bait”... and then one post later - cited a video that referenced a protest started by anti fascists (the topic of my reply)
First - your video doesn’t suggest antifa was looting or rioting. Just that they started the protest. As before: no one is suggesting antifa isn’t present at some of the protests, just no evidence that they’re masterminding them into violent riots.
Second - didn’t you less than a page ago suggest media is just running a script and cannot be trusted? That video was... local media.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.freep.com/amp/5299422002
Again, Fargo, ND has no history of anything like what happened last night. For the entire afternoon, BLM protesters were taking pictures with local police, everything was on track for a day with no arrests or any problems whatsoever. Sometime around sundown, one person throws a water bottle at a line of cops. Cops overreact, start becoming more defiant. Then, within a few hours, people are throwing chairs through the windows of Vinyl Taco and looting JL Beers (downtown restaurants). Now they are saying that devices are being planted in Minneapolis that are causing some of these fires that simply CANNOT be the work of random protesters, but clearly of a coordinated effort.
Anyway, another strange development. Grand Rapids, of all places, had to declare a curfew and call in the National Guard. With Gretchen Whitmer's blessing, I might add. Grand Rapids is definitely not normally a place you'd expect anything like this. I feel like I left an island of normalcy up north and came back to the Twilight Zone!
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2020/05/grand-rapids-mayor-orders-7-pm-curfew-after-night-of-rioting.html?outputType=amp
WTF is going on?
Boredom. Frustration. That's what's going on. People are piggybacking off of Floyd's death to vent.
The only thing problematic is your aggressive behaviour towards me. I am not to be held responsible for someone being triggered by the posts I make. I speak in general terms with my opinions. I also have been putting video and links up of what is going on, on the ground and what I am hearing from people close to me and the riots. From my experience dealing with Anarchists, I know what I am talking about. What your beliefs are, are yours. I do feel that you may be involved with these low lifes Anarchists hence the aggressive behaviour towards me, or maybe with a white supremacist group because most Anarchists are white. If I'm wrong on that assumption I apologize, just if the shoe fits.
Consider this formal, I am asking you to stop tunneling me in the comments. I will not argue or debate with you. Please move on, the next personal attack/comment towards me will be reported.
Keep in mind too, schools are closed. Universities are closed. Lots of young people with nothing to do. In a way I don't even judge them that harshly, I did a lot of stupid stuff in high school and college.
These protests are a much needed distraction from his coronavirus results. So yes, he is going to continue to throw fire onto the situation and make it worse because he is not the poster boy for all this chaos like he is with the coronavirus and if he can throw a democrat mayor or two under the bus while the country burns, well all the better.
And that's the thing. People are still dying across the US from this virus. Cities are burning to the ground because of the racial and economical inequalities that have been highlighted the last 2 months. And Trump goes and watches a rocket launch, takes full credit for it getting off the ground and says everything is amazing. That's something that Kim Jong-un would do. This is all happening because the US does not have proper leadership or accountability. It use to be able to get away with not having accountability with strong leadership. This is the result of having neither.
In the second video, everyting about those two girls spray painting the building was wrong. Everything. When I think things can't get any weirder, well I guess they can. What was their purpose? They were not protesters.