Power of Protests | Curfew Ended Early and Changes Implemented

In New York City, due to overwhelming pressure and protests deliberately lasting well past the 8 pm curfew, the Mayor listened, ended the curfew after Saturday night and many changes were made. This is an example of the power of the people forcing positive changes that sitting politicians may never make unless it is demanded. For the time being, this is a win for NYC protestors that will perhaps reverberate to other states.

Mayor de Blasio has been in a difficult Catch-22 situation. He may not admit this publicly, but police departments and their unions have become dangerously powerful and they often make mayors and governors bend. In the past de Blasio attempted to lean the way of citizens, but the police department and union lambasted and browbeat him into subservience. On one occasion the NYPD, who are public servants at his command, even stood and turned their backs on him while he was speaking at an event. Consequently, in recent weeks both de Blasio and Cuomo were always seemingly advocating for the police department’s perspective no matter the situation. They are seemingly above reproach and it’s treated as an unthinkable transgression if anyone dares say anything negative about them, even despite growing cases of abuse. However, people trying to bring about reform are growing tired of this.

Protesting citizens do not hate cops just because they’re cops. Most people appreciate the good work many police officers do. These demonstrations are all about properly disciplining the bad ones who terrorize their communities. Police departments all over the nation are failing to do this, which is why the departments as a whole get a failing grade. If an organization cannot control or properly discipline its criminal members, then this impairs the reputation of all members. The George Floyd murder seen by the world at this point was a “coup de grace” situation that sent fed up protestors taking it to the streets. As a result, the protests seem to be working in NYC and nationwide.

Mayor de Blasio ended early his highly unnecessary curfew that many other cities implemented as well. It was a tone-deaf response to habituate the populace to martial law tactics that punished the entire city for some bad apples. Police departments, mayors, and governors across the nation admitted the looters were by far the very small minority. The vast majority of protestors were peaceful, and the protests were being sabotaged. Regardless, mayors and governors decided to implement curfews that backfired on them. Young, ethnically diverse protestors refused to be silenced. The curfews themselves became another thing to protest and ironically exposed more problems with US police departments. Because of the political leaders in place, militarized police went around terrorizing and bashing the heads of innocent people exercising their constitutional right to protest. America and some of its dysfunction were on display; yes, the resolve of the people and the protests were working.

Even democratic NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams spoke out against de Blasio, Governor Cuomo, and President Trump. This was very brave as most political leaders play politics and don’t often speak against their own party members. Williams showed himself to be a truly passionate and courageous man of the people. Jumaane Williams named all 3 men as complicit in making matters worse with curfews and threats of more police crowd control that only resulted in more senseless abuse of nonviolent citizens. Williams was out there among the protestors and saw himself that the curfew and use of force were highly unnecessary.

Some of the new changes made by de Blasio include a shift in some NYPD funding over to youth and social services, moving the enforcement for street vending away from the NYPD to a civilian agency, and adding community ambassadors to the NYPD to serve as liaisons between officers and New Yorkers. There is a very long way to go but it’s a start.

There are so many bootlickers in our society who don’t understand how and why what happened was much-needed progress because they feel that this is a result of animosity toward the police. No, this is not about hate for cops. Judging from commentary in the blogosphere, these people, by and large, appear not wise enough to understand that these extensions of government need to be kept in check for society’s own good. Additionally, the decision to partially defund the police is not just to deplete them of resources. It comes from an understanding that police forces might not need surveillance drones, flash-bang grenades, tanks, or detonating robots as essentials and some of those city funds could better serve communities in other ways. It’s about changing the approach and culture away from war against communities toward building and working toward the betterment of communities.

Again, this isn’t about hate for cops or working against them just to attack them. This is about making sure we have checks and balances in place to keep them from getting out of control and corrupt. We cannot let police forces become too powerful or to continue to allow them to police themselves. There is an undeniable problem of police brutality going unpunished. This cannot continue. Departments must be held accountable and given limitations or else it will be disastrous.

At any rate and as it looks now, the people will not tolerate another Eric Garner, Philando Castillo, Breanna Taylor, Sandra Bland or George Floyd again.