The Daily Wire reports of a situation in Rochester, New York, where Black Lives Matter rioters “mobbed a Wegmans grocery store on Tuesday afternoon, trapping an estimated 100 customers inside.”
Multiple video accounts show the rioters screaming “Black Lives Matter” at innocent grocery store customers after NY Democratic Attorney General Letitia James announced that a grand jury would not seek charges over officers’ involvement in the death of Daniel Prude.
Daniel Prude died in police custody last march after an intoxicated Prude violently lashed out, often spitting at the officers during his arrest.
Almost immediately Attorney General James released a statement that one could argue stoked the flames of division and might have contributed to the harrowing experience for those in Rochester today.
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“Daniel Prude was in the throes of a mental health crisis, and what he needed was compassion, care, and help from trained professionals. Tragically, he received none of those things. We concluded that there was sufficient evidence surrounding Mr. Prude’s death to warrant presenting the case to a grand jury, and we presented the most comprehensive case possible.”
The AG might have produced a “comprehensive case,” but that doesn’t matter.
A jury of these officers’ peers looked at your evidence and heard your argument; they found you to be wrong and the officers to be cleared of your witch hunt. She used colorful language like “While I know that the Prude family … will rightfully be devastated and disappointed” as a signal to ignore anything following afterward.
Which, of course, is possibly the most important – or only important – part of the statement: “We have to respect this decision.”
She then spends the rest of her statement tearing down the police and the job they were trained to do. The fact that officers are trained to subdue suspects this way is lost on a lot of people. It’s not like they are watching boxing or MMA on the weekends and decide to use some moves on the job. They go through training.
A reporter for 13WHAM-TV, Michael Schwartz traveled with the rioters and live-tweeted the scary events. Schwartz tweeted a picture of the intersection of East and Alexander in Rochester, saying:
” ‘We have a long walk today, we’re shutting s&*! down.’ Around 200 people have now closed down the intersection of East and Alexander, continuing eastbound Police keeping distance, closing surrounded streets.”
Schwartz then tweeted a video under the hashtag #DanielPrude:
“NOW IN ROCHESTER: More than 200 people have walked more than 2 miles with plans to disrupt. They’re approaching East Ave Wegmans.”
The reporter linked a video that shows Black Lives Matter rioters chanting “Black Lives Matter” as the people on the other side of the door frantically try and close the doors. Schwartz:
“BREAKING: East Ave Wegmans shut down”
Schwartz reported that “the group has set up here at East Ave. Wegmans. Cars following have carried these supplies. Last time I saw a tent set up was at Occupy City Hall. Shoppers cannot leave.”
Some Twitter users accused the Rochester police of letting the rioters take over the grocery store. Bob Lonsberry, a Talk-show host at WHAM radio and WSYR radio, tweeted, “Hundreds of people trapped in the East Avenue #ROC Wegmans by this mob. The Rochester Police Department is just watching and letting it happen. I guess fire codes and trespassing aren’t things in Rochester anymore. What an embarrassing day for the city and the PD.
EAST AVE WEGMANS: I’m seeing frustrated customers inside trying to get to home with groceries. Store remains closed down as more than 100 have shut it down pic.twitter.com/YmEbJcbPB3
— Michael_Schwartz (@MSchwartzWHAM) March 23, 2021
The Daily Wire report states:
“Democrat and Chronicle reporter Justin Murphy posted, “There are a bunch of shoppers inside Wegmans who aren’t being allowed to leave.”
“We’re more than just taxpayers in their capitalist system; we’re human beings, and we demand to be treated as such,” said protester Craig Carson.
Local organizer Ashley Gantt said, ‘The officers that killed Daniel Prude don’t live in our community; they live in the suburbs and out here.”
Organizer Ashley Gantt pic.twitter.com/pkxa4KruDY
— Michael_Schwartz (@MSchwartzWHAM) March 23, 2021
Lonsberry said that “allowing the mob to shut down the East Ave Wegmans, trapping at least a hundred people, is an immoral failing by the mayor in Rochester, NY and the Rochester Police Department. To kiss the *$$ of the mob, the rights of others are trodden, and the city dies even more.”
ARTICLE SOURCE : thefederalistpapers.org
