A tale of Twin Cities: The danger lurking behind ‘defund the police’ demands in the US

When you visit the city of Minneapolis in Minnesota, you cannot help but fall in love with it. The mix of old and modern architecture, the art shows, music festivals and farmers’ markets give a sense of culture, warmth and exclusivity.

In recent years the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, were on the way to becoming an important business capital in the American Midwest, opening the door for many big companies to move their headquarters to these vibrant neighborhoods.

Then everything changed. The once peaceful city became a nightmare for its residents, forcing those that could to relocate to the suburbs.

In the wake of George Floyd’s death while being taken into police custody in May 2020, a series of protests erupted in Minneapolis. In a flash, a wave of violence swept over what once was a safe city as gunshots were fired, businesses were looted, public and private buildings were set on fire, and police officers were targeted.

Led by the Black Lives Matter and Antifa movements, thousands of Americans demonstrated across the country. However tensions flared and they turned violent in some cities, such as Atlanta, Louisville, Portland, Los Angeles, New York and Washington.

Law enforcement used tear gas, rubber bullets, stun grenades and curfews in an attempt to disperse groups of violent protesters and prevent clashes. The National Guard was activated in several states because of the civil unrest.

In the name of racial justice and anti-police brutality efforts, the idea of defunding or even abolishing the police has been raised by left-wing progressive politicians, activists and university students, who are calling for changes to law enforcement policies and strategies.

As the anti-police sentiment has spread across the country, several far-left media outlets in the US played their part in stoking the anger and hatred directed against the men and women in blue by focusing on what they describe as “systematic racism.”

Black Lives Matter launched a petition calling for the national defunding of the police and for the money that is saved to be invested in predominantly African American communities to help them thrive.

According to the introduction to the petition: “George Floyd’s violent death was a breaking point — an all-too familiar reminder that, for Black people, law enforcement doesn’t protect or save our lives. They often threaten and take them.”

Michigan Representative Rashida Tlaib, a progressive, echoed the concerns that police departments in the US have reached the point of no return and cannot be reformed. In message posted on Twitter, she wrote: “I am done with those who condone government-funded murder. No more policing, incarceration, and militarization.”

New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shared her colleague’s words on Instagram, and pointed out the difference between the lives of white people and people of color in America: “White communities bend over backward to find alternatives to incarceration for their loved ones to ‘protect their future,’ like community service or rehab or restorative measures. Why don’t we treat Black and Brown people the same way?”

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