Fort Apache, The North Side
By Mitch Berg
Perhaps you’ve heard – it’s been in all the headlines – a “Black Lives Matter” protest at the Fourth precinct police station in Minneapolis yesterday turned into a scuffle between riot police and demonstrators ostensibly angry over the death of Jamar Clark. Clark was killed in a confrontation with the police; the incident is controversial, and still very much under investigation, and we’re not going to get any reliable news about it for quite some time. However, the police union is doing its best to make the officers involved look like angels walking among us on the earth, while the protesters portray them as dead-eyed executioners, and mayor Betsy Hodges, through her stenographers in the media, splitting the difference (maybe just a little on the side of the protesters).
The story on KARE 11 relates the broad details of the scuffle – which include incoming bricks and Molotov cocktails, and outgoing bean bag rounds – and also gives us one interesting sidelight:
There was an interesting moment as Jamar Clark’s sister drove up on the scene as protesters were shouting down police. Javille Burns opened her window and addressed protesters, clearly angry, asking them what their goal was. “You’re pissing people off,” she shouted. “These officers can’t do nothing for you… you’re ignorant.” When one protester tried to engage her, Burns jumped out of the car and ran at him. “That’s my brother that got shot… my blood (expletive) brother!”
While the investigation into the actual incident waiting to Mr. Clark’s girl is still very much under investigation, one can feel sympathy for Ms. Burns; her brother, whether an erratic wife beater or an innocent victim, is having his name and demise hijacked by a bunch of people whose interests of little to do with him.
More later.
November 19th, 2015 at 9:02 am
It’s fair to say that the BLM crowd is playing their typical Alinsky/Obama style game with this. Make all kinds of accusations before the facts are known, demonize the police, attempt to provoke police misconduct on camera and bully elected officials who aren’t streetwise. Compare the recent attempt by BLM to halt the Twin Cities marathon with this protest. Mayor Coleman at least had the balls to tell BLM leaders what was going to happen to them if they caused trouble. Mayor Hodges on the other hand, tries to placate and negotiate, thereby leading BLM to conclude they can get away with anything. And so far, they have.
November 19th, 2015 at 10:06 am
As doc says above….the loony lefties in BLM are trying very very hard to provoke the police. Throwing things at them, slashing a tire, etc, with their cameras out and slimeball lawyers standing at their side.
Mpls police are showing restraint that I would have a hard time doing. They aren’t going to give them the excuse to rile up more people.
I do have to ask, do battered black women’s lives matter? The irony is a fresh as Planned Parenthood tweeting last week that children’s lives matter, or Hillary talking about rape victims.
November 19th, 2015 at 11:14 am
Temperatures in the 30’s, time to break out the fire hoses. But don’t spray directly at protestors, that’ll knock them off their feet and provide great camera footage. Just spray water over their heads and let it sprinkle on their fevered brows like the gentle rains. A few minutes of standing around in the wind in sopping wet clothes ought to cut speeches short.
November 19th, 2015 at 12:43 pm
It strikes me that one of the best responses is to point out that we don’t take action before we know the facts, and invite BLM leaders to join us in that notion.
And please, no (Democratic) Bull Connor fire hose tactics.
November 19th, 2015 at 8:19 pm
Ironically if Betsy Bicycle wasn’t mayor she’d probably be out with the protesters.
November 20th, 2015 at 6:46 pm
Mitch,
I spent the day inside the 4th Precinct. My first thought was “Fort Apache.”
Great minds think alike.