Compare the police response to protests to this murder to the protests of the Governor in Michigan because they are being asked to wear masks and not get their hair colored. Imagine if the Minneapolis protesters were as armed as those idgets in Lansing.
Actually the police response was very similar. Someone carrying a gun while protesting is not breaking the law. Neither is someone marching while protesting. You can see plenty of videos and it's a tense but peaceful protest - no riot gear, no tear gas, etc.
A much smaller crowd did break off from the main protest and intentionally brought along buckets of rocks to throw at police officers. That group is what brought out the riot gear and tear gas. That group was clearly dangerous and was committing not just vandalism but also assault. There are plenty of white people perpetrating these crimes and to me they seem to be a majority of the violent protesters.
The larger body of well-organized (organizers were emphasizing that multiple wrong won't make a right and that getting violent wasn't going to fix the problem) Minnesota protesters not committing crimes was treated pretty much the same as the Michigan one not committing crimes.
if people would do some ride alongs with cops occasionally they might see why this kind of thing happens from time to time
From a friend of a friend on facebook (can't link it directly due to privacy settings):
"I’m not in law enforcement, and never have been. I know their job is difficult, often thankless, and the majority of them do it every day by the book in an exemplary fashion.
HOWEVER, I was in the military. I have had to take many people into custody overseas. People who weren’t my fellow citizens, and would actually have liked to do real harm to me or even kill me or my buddies if given the chance. Despite this fact, never once did I or any Ranger I fought with ever have an incident like this. Once someone is in your custody, you are responsible for their life. That was true in a war zone, and it’s ABSOLUTELY true in America. The blatant disregard for the preservation of this mans life that was shown by these officers is so grotesque, it makes my blood boil.
You want to tell the Colin Kaepernick’s of the world they’re wrong(and I believe they are)...then be better than this.
My twin boys love Spider-Man. They love to recite Uncle Ben’s favorite quote...'with great power, comes great responsibility'. It’s corny sounding, but without a doubt, absolutely true. You are given the power to enforce the law, to arrest your fellow citizens, to carry weapons, drive police cars, and take away their liberty if appropriate. Please don’t be these guys, who hopefully will be charged with the murder of this man. Be better. Look at your fellow citizens as just that. Enough of this.”
