Lies in the Name of Safety: How the Law Breaks the Law, Quashes Truth and Furthers Genocide
The most recent way to quash the largely peaceful protests is to cast them as dangerous, violent, and unsafe.
this gives NYC Mayor Eric Adams an excuse for sending in the police — hundreds of them — claiming that outside instigators are hijacking the protests and causing great danger. This sets the (false) premise to call in the police, in swarms by the hundreds and with heavy riot gear, at Columbia. This sets the next (false) premise to sternly direct all protestors to leave the area “for your safety.” (see linked video above)
Police presence almost always escalates drama and violence. Historically, police have instigated violence at peaceful protests, provoked protestors, and then blame and arrest the protestors (Rolling Stone documented this well here). Same as what happens to innocent Black people who are racially profiled and unlawfully brutalized. Same as what Israel has done to Gaza: oppress and violate then cast blame (and genocide) when the violated react to the brutality. It’s all to make sure that power remains in the hands of the rich and powerful.
The excess police reaction by authorities is to send a message of “danger and violence!” If there were indeed any outside agitators (besides the hundreds of police), why not remove the alleged bad actors and let the protests go on? Why not move the students out of Columbia’s Hamilton Hall and give them a warning to keep the protest within legal bounds? Or arrest those who broke the law (I don’t know if they did) and allow the rest of the protest continue? Because the purpose is not to allow free speech but to shut it down. All the while, those who shut down Constitutional rights, like Texas governor Gregg Abbott, claim to uphold them.
The hypocrisy.
It’s all manipulative, the same charade to mischaracterize in order to justify draconian actions and suppress US corruption and complicity to genocide. Same as Israel does in Gaza. Same as mass media does the world over, conflating antisemitism with Judaism to dispel criticsm of Israel so they can proceed with their genocide.
Shame, shame, shame.
