We’ve come a long way since the death of George Floyd.
The initial outrage over Floyd’s death in late May was at least justified, but now, the violent protests rocking city streets are increasingly unmoored from any just cause or actual victim. Lancaster, Pennsylvania, offers the latest grim example of baseless unrest turning violent.
More than 100 protesters took to the streets of Lancaster on Sunday night after a police shooting once again provoked viral outrage, and it wasn’t peaceful. Agitators vandalized the police station, smashed windows, and threw bricks. Vandals also damaged several random private businesses and looted. They also damaged a post office and defaced city streets. “Death to cops” was spray-painted memorably on one building during the unrest.
MORE DAMAGE from last night’s protests in #Lancaster: the post office across the street from the police station & Red Raven Art Company had their windows smashed. A destroyed potted plant remains on the ground on Prince Street pic.twitter.com/jDs2KamFtd
— Priscilla Liguori (@PriscillaABC27) September 14, 2020
Of course, any demonstration that crosses the line into violent vandalism, even when the cause is justified, is morally wrong. Yet what’s truly disturbing about this incident in Lancaster is that hundreds of people took to the streets in outrage, even though video evidence was almost immediately released and showed the police officer did nothing wrong.
Here’s what happened. A woman called 911 at 4:13 p.m. Sunday to request police assistance and said that her brother was behaving aggressively and trying to break into her house, according to the Lancaster Police Department. When the first police officer arrived, the man, Ricardo Munoz, promptly rushed out the door and charged at him with a knife. The officer tried to retreat but then shot the assailant multiple times when he got close. Munoz did not survive.
This is all captured on body camera video, which the police released within hours. Be warned that the content is disturbing and grim, but you can watch for yourself.
A lengthy headline from the Daily Mail summed up the ridiculous nature of the outrage in Lancaster: “Pennsylvania cops shoot dead man for charging at officer with a huge blade — as protests erupt outside precinct in support of the knifeman who stabbed four people last year including a teenager.”
Of course, any time police officers shoot and kill someone, there should be thorough scrutiny and full accountability if the officer is found to have erred in his or her judgment. We certainly haven’t always seen this justice in the past. But when you have a video showing the deceased charging police with a knife, the assumption should be that the officer was 100% justified in firing his weapon. Pretty astounding evidence would have to emerge to suggest anything else.
People do not have the right to charge at police with a knife. If police officers shoot someone who tries to kill them, that is not police brutality. It’s astounding this even needs to be said.
What exactly were these Lancaster agitators protesting anyway? That the officer didn’t let Munoz kill him? The protesters’ immature, illogical, and in some instances criminal behavior only sabotages any cause they supposedly care about.
We do need criminal justice reform in this country, but that cause is only undermined when agitators engage in violent unrest rather than peaceful protest. Ironically, the Trump administration has done more to advance reform than any of these radicals.
Moreover, when agitators such as those in Lancaster take to the streets over obviously justified police actions, they undermine the legitimacy of the reform movement and contribute to the demonization of police that is breaking down any chance at real progress.
Brad Polumbo (@Brad_Polumbo) is a Washington Examiner contributor and the host of the Breaking Boundaries podcast.
