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The video went viral.
And the punch didn’t stop.
A New York City police officer tangled and wrestled with a 16-year-old boy in what looked like an entire round of a boxing match in Madison Square Garden.
Officers eventually subdued the teen — charging him with assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. Police said the boy jumped out of a subway station ticket gate. Officers had previously arrested him for possession of a loaded gun and robbery.
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This is just one example of recent attacks on police.
An assailant shot dead Clark County, Ohio sheriff’s deputy Matthew Yates over the weekend. Recently, an entire police department in Kenly, North Carolina, resigned over hostile working conditions.
Congress is paying attention.
The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings Tuesday on police protection. Rising crime means this is an election issue.
Faced with stiff competition, Democrats know they need to distance themselves from the progressive “defend the police” mantra. The slogan entered mainstream politics two years ago after the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests.
“We fund the police, and we should, but our job doesn’t end there,” said Dick Durbin, chairman of the Judiciary Committee and Senate Majority Whip. , D – Illinois pivoted to firearms. “The dominant role of guns in the assault and killing of police officers cannot be ignored.”
Republicans are also turning police violence into an election issue.
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“Summer 2020’s rise in anti-police rhetoric, progressive prosecutorial campaigns and COVID-19 lockdowns, and lack of criminal prosecution for daring criminals are especially lethal when it comes to uniformed law enforcement officers.” John Cornyn , R-Tex.
According to the Fraternal Order of Police, criminals had shot 187 police officers by the end of June this year. This is a 19% increase compared to 2021.
Cedar Falls, Iowa, police officer Zachary Andersen has provided a dramatic, blow-by-blow testimony to the Judiciary Commission about how he and his co-worker confronted an armed man in his garage.
“The suspect ambushed us when the next door opened. He was waiting for us with a shotgun,” Andersen said tearfully. I put my arm down.
“He fired two shots and killed Sergeant Smith,” said Andersen. “Two cops locked themselves in the basement and the subject began threatening to kill us all.”Go in and start shooting.I’ll kill you like I killed your comrades.I’m great. “I shot him in the chest. But come on. I’m not very kind. I’ll shoot you in the face,” Andersen said.
He added that these words “will be the rest of my life.”
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“The Defend the Police movement has done more damage than anyone could have imagined,” said Demetrick “Tre” Pennie of the National Association of Fallen Officers.
Defenders of the police blame progressives for weakening the police force.
Oakland County, Michigan Sheriff Michael Bouchard told senators, “We also have to admit that the demonization of police has greatly exacerbated this problem.”
Republicans say Democrats are lip service to the police, while liberal groups are fundraising against them.
Senator Thom Tillis (RN.C.) has unveiled a funding message from liberal groups for what has been characterized as doing “justice.” Tillis says that with a little digging, you can decipher the code that relates run distances to letters of the alphabet, which stands for “ACAB”. It translates as “all cops are bastards”.
“All cops are bastards. Are you kidding me?” Tirith thundered. “It’s time for a change, it’s time to stop this crap. This is killing people.”
There are also claims from vulnerable Democrats that the party needs to do more to protect them from attacks about “defunding the police.”
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Hakeem Jeffries, D.N.Y., chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said, “Defunding the police is part of the big lie that extreme MAGA Republicans keep telling about everything.” It’s not too much,” he argues.
Vulnerable, centrist Democrats certainly aren’t calling for defunding the police. But some liberals, like squad member Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., are doubling down on police funding.
“I always say[to Congressional Democrats]’If everyone had fixed this before I got here, I wouldn’t have had to say these things.
Bush advocates shifting some of the law enforcement budget to social programs.
Republicans feel rich about Democrats’ current claims to police funding after backing the confirmation of two controversial Justice Department officials. Both asked for some of the police funds to be reprogrammed.
“Every Democratic senator voted to confirm both,” said Sen. Ted Cruz of R-Tex.
However, Durbin defended Gupta and Clark from Republican attacks. He said the police organization supports both Gupta and Clark.
“There’s always a little bit more to the story,” Durbin said. “Does this sound like one of the police’s enemies?”
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Moderate Democrats like Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) are criticizing Democrats’ “don’t fund the police” rhetoric after they nearly lost control of the House in late 2020. was one of the first to point out
“We have to invest in being everything that the police want. And we want it to be everything that we want. Frankly, every community demands it.” Spanberger said.
The House was scheduled to meet for the August adjournment on Friday. There is now a move in the House to approve a ban on assault weapons. But Democrats still have no votes. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Democrat, Md., said the House will return to session ahead of the August 9 special election in Minnesota to support the late Jim Hagedorn, R. Minnesota. He has suggested that he could replace the senators. At that point, the Democrats’ share of the vote shrank to his three seats. Several Democrats were able to vote against it, from Oregon Democrat Kurt Schrader to Maine Democrat Jared Golden. Democrats may need help from a few Republicans.
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Additionally, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D.California) just announced September 7th as “Gun Violence Day.” She says this is an effort to “contrast her MAGA Republican opposition to extremes with basic measures to keep guns out of hand.” of dangerous people with a Democratic commitment to a safer community for all. “
So the Democrats are trying to change the perception of “defending the police” and pivot to guns. But fair or not, politics often locks perceptions. Whether the Democrats will be able to return the focus of the conversation back to firearms remains to be seen at this time.