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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSomething Is Puzzling Me About The Unrest In Minneapolis This Thursday Evening (Tonight)......
After what went on Wednesday evening/night wouldn't you think that the police would have been more prepared (along with the National Guard that was there as well) to prevent similar unrest Thursday evening/night?
We've seen similar unrest/riots in other cities in this country and around the world and their police and the guard didn't abandon the area. Other cities - if they felt overwhelmed - they brought in reinforcements. There didn't seem to be those kind of measures being taken in Minneapolis tonight.
I'm just puzzled as to why we didn't see a bigger police and guard presence there today. It's almost like they were told to stand down and just let it happen.
They had all day to get into position. To block streets. Set a perimeter around the area and not let cars in. Haven't they learned anything about crowd control?
BigmanPigman
(51,590 posts)Shell_Seas
(3,333 posts)They were outnumbered.
And EVERYTHING is happening live. The world is watching.
What could they do?
Corgigal
(9,291 posts)completely. I guess the powers to be do not care. Stores can file insurance claims, but I dont know if they will rebuild.
cayugafalls
(5,640 posts)Where are the 500 National Guard that were called in?
It just seems so odd...
greyl
(22,990 posts)of individuals band together, they overwhelm the local police.
procon
(15,805 posts)The riots that swept across the city following Rodney King. The cops either abandoned their posts or bunkered down and let the looters and arsonists run unchecked.
Since then the police gather in a massive show of force in advance of any suspected civil unrest. They haul out all the military war toys, truck in the horses, empty the arsenal and gear up with every sort of tactical accoutrements hung on their harness and rattling like one of those clanking robot things from Dr. Who. It's quite impressive.
Whoever decided to stand down and let the rioters destroy that section of their city, was either poorly trained or it was a deliberate decision. I'm leaning toward the later as TPTB made a twisted act of revenge against a community that is largely poor and POC.
The rioters won't be the ones to suffer the consequences, but the residents will wake up tomorrow to find their one grocery store burned to the ground. The pharmacy they use was looted and destroyed. The bank is in ruins. The little shops and stores owned by local people were all looted and unlikely to reopen. All those businesses employed local residents and shouldered the local economy, but that's all gone because the cops walked off the job.
Sure looks like retaliation.
BComplex
(8,049 posts)and the police being smart enough not to bring a bunch of innocent protesters in on the mess.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213499272
firstwife
(115 posts)They just finished live reporting in MN at 4 AM there. The newscasters seem to be shading the Mayor heavily for non answers, doesnt know details, deflects to others, etc. No plan in place. Sounds like hes in a bit over his head. JMO
soothsayer
(38,601 posts)They were hoping to announce the arrests of the officers, which would have mollified things a bit. But maybe they should have had a plan B just in case.