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When right-wing groups with white supremacist elements were storming state houses around the country over COVID-19 lockdowns, they were armed to the teeth. The police were okay with it, and many even reinforced the protests in their own way.
“At least 60 sheriffs nationwide” publicly opposed lockdown orders issued by governors, according to analysis by the Marshall Project. Now, after the killing of George Floyd, protests are raging across the nation - and these actions have been met with a different sort of response.
Police brutality has been widespread at protests against state violence. Now, it’s worth asking, what’s so different now? If protests opposed to lockdown measures claimed freedoms were being taken away, why are these same tactics OK when being used on us?
Curfew restrictions have been implemented in cities around the nation and President Trump has even threatened military action. When majority-white protesters were heavily armed, the president encouraged their actions. Now, he’s threatening the lives of Black people.
Clearly, this is because racism against us from both the police and military is something they have been planning for. The question is, will we allow the contradiction to stand without pointing out the hypocrisy? We cannot afford to let injustice go.