I live in Saint Paul and have been active in my neighborhood. During this time, I have seen the police department respond to various issues. The current St. Paul police chief, while in a previous role, would come to meetings regularly, and do the right things toward inclusivity. He is in the news based on the Minneapolis police murder of George Floyd. In neighboring Falcon Heights, in 2016, Philando Castile was murdered by a police officer. In Saint Paul, we honor Philando every summer-- https://www.centralhonorsphilando.org/ . The event is peaceful and has police and city support.
Black Lives Matters protests regularly, based on events such as the Philando Castile murder. They choose to block the rail or the freeway on occasion, often choosing my St. Paul neighborhood for these protests, and there are police interactions. These events are not intended to be violent. We don't see buildings burned down.
In 2008, the Republican Convention came to St. Paul. My wife and I were there watching various protests and media broadcasts downtown. Code Pink, Donna Brazile, Samantha Bee and Clint Eastwood each crossed our path. A local media personality attempted to philander after hours. All of the organizations protesting did so peacefully. Occasionally, there would be police round-ups. I saw nothing to make me ashamed of my city, though others may recall differently. Some there to protest may have not understood that others, presumably from out of town, were there to create mayhem.
Anarchists or paramilitary outsiders or who knows what they call themselves-- people dressed in black, gave the impression that they wanted violence. We saw a man dressed in all black walking down the sidewalk, carrying a flower, looking much like a mime. When he was tackled by four police officers and drug away, the crowd cheered silently. Except for anarchists-- people from out of town who seemed to be present based on their enjoyment of inciting violence-- there was peaceful mocking of Republicans. Did someone hire the anarchists to make the protesters look bad? We don't know. It seemed that way. Or, who knows? Maybe, there are people who like to fight and destroy. Protests give them the excuse to do so.
Yesterday, a red car zoomed past me weaving in between one car then another. I thought I should report it, then noticed it had no license plates. Last night, the people with cars with no license plates caused great destruction in my neighborhood. Was this because George Floyd would have wanted it or to punish evil corporate America or were small businesses who have worked diligently to bring the neighborhood together targeted? The violence and destruction didn't spare the good guys. The businesses with the most Black patronage were targeted. Big Top Liquor, a diverse place and a part of the neighborhood fabric for decades, was targeted. Vigs guitars was targeted. This, in a struggling neighborhood where the Walmart and Office Max just closed.
The murder of George Floyd was used as justification to damage my neighborhood last night. This wasn't where George was murdered. This wasn't the same city or the same police department. It wasn't done by supporters of George or in memory of George. Those involved had no knowledge of whom they were hurting.
It was opportunists from who knows where, maybe the same people who show up at political conventions. The city of St. Paul had nothing to do with it. People who actually work diligently toward solutions end up as the targets.
Anarchists will say that the murder of George Floyd justified what happened. Many protesters will agree. But, those who would weave dangerously to other cities in cars without license plates to destroy random neighborhoods are what? They are criminals, just as police officers who would murder are criminals. The murder was White on Black crime. Every anarchist I have seen has been White. The destruction of my neighborhood is White on Black crime.
Lloyd's Pharmacy:
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