Dealing with the aftermath of the May 25 George Floyd chokehold murder by 44-year-old Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin, protests of racial violence in white police departments morphed into organized anarchy by domestic terrorist groups, like Anifa, once a proud anti-Fascist group originating in Italy in the 1920s to protest the rise if dictator Benito Mussolini. But today’s Antifa groups have been all to familiar joining legitimate protests about police brutality into full-on anarchy, designed to topple U.S. capitalistic society. Watching the street mayhem in American cities cannot be justified by any civil rights activists, looking to right the injustice seen on video watching a white cop apply an illegal chokehold on a black suspect until he’s dead. Watching Chauvin snuff out Floyd’s life was sickening to anyone watching, something that will earn a 44-year-old white racist maybe life behind bars.
Following Floyd’s death, protests turned violent in numerous cities around the country, with arsonists and thieves jumping on the bandwagon of those grieving Floyd’s death and protesting to improve U.S. civil rights. Whether the violent extremists come from anti-capitalist groups like Antifa or ultra-right-wing groups like Boogaloo that seek a new Civil War, they’re comprised of criminals seeking any opportunity to loot businesses and burn down communities. President Donald Trump said he will designate Antifa a domestic terrorist group something that brings federal law enforcement to crack down on anarchistic groups designed to overthrow communities, cities, states and ultimately the United States. Watching the Minneapolis police department stand down, letting the street violence escalate demonstrates a colossal failure of leadership by 38-year-old Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
Since Floyd’s May 25 murder, Frey gave protesters the green light to engage in any illegal behavior, literally burning Minneapolis to the ground, looting over 170 businesses before burning them down. Att. Gen. Bill Barr, 69, said federal law enforcement would do everything possible “to identify criminal organizers and instigators,” saying the Department of Justice would utilize “our existing network of 56 regional Joint Terrorism Task Forces,” something that didn’t stop two years of riots in Ferguson, Mo. in 2014-2016, presumably protesting the Aug. 9, 2014 death of 18-year-old unarmed black man Michael Brown by 34-year-old white cop Darren Wilson. Whatever the African American angst over the death of young unarmed black men at the hands of white cops, nothing justifies the widespread looting and arson seen in the civil rights protests that follow unfortunate incidents.
Law enforcement’s failure to quell anarchy and street violence stems from inadequate personnel and training to deal with orchestrated mayhem on American streets. When you look at Minneapolis, Frey was paralyzed, reeling from his own guilt that such a racist atrocity could occur in his city. But Frey’s inaction, especially about calling in the National Guard, showed he lacked the experience and leadership necessary to stop Minneapolis from burning to the ground. No matter how much sympathy Frey had with the African American community, he needed to make clear that he would not tolerate lawlessness in Minneapolis streets. “The violence instigated and carried out by Antifa and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly,” Barr said, not saying how the federal government would intervene in the future.
Civil rights groups like the American Civil Liberties Union [ACLU] make excuses for anarchistic groups, apparently tolerating lawlessness in name of civil rights. “As this tweet demonstrates, terrorism is an inherently political label, easily abused and misused,” said ACLU Nation Security Project Director Hina Shamsi. Shamsi, a Columbia Law graduate, doesn’t get that nothing justifies anarchy and lawlessness following legitimate civil rights issues or criminal actions. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin will likely spend the rest of his life in prison for murdering George Flyod. Murder, by police or anyone else, takes place in the U.S. daily or by the hour but can’t be used an excuse for arson, looting and mayhem. Watching so-called “protesters” break windows, climb into stores, remove items, torch stores, jump into getaway cars is not civil rights protesting, it’s plain mayhem and lawlessness.
Restoring civil order from groups like Antifa, Boogaloo and others that jump on the bandwagon after police brutality or racist incidents is law enforcements primary responsibility. It’s become obvious that Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey had too much angst for the African American community to let his police force to restore order, even if it involved mass arrests and maybe deaths. “There is no legal authority for designating a domestic group. Any such designation would raise significant due process and First Amendment concerns,” said Shamsi, showing, she doesn’t understand her job. Her job involves protecting the Constitutional rights to peacefully assemble and protest, not to loot, start fires, destroy property, create anarchy and mayhem Since local authorities have failed to restore order, it’s necessary for a federal Rapid Deployment Force to stop insurgent groups before its too late.
