Why the difference in policing protesters at Trump rally and BLM rally

BOSTON — The events that transpired in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday are now being compared contrasted to how the George Floyd protests last summer were policed.

That contrast has not been lost on American residents, especially the black and brown people watching. It’s hard not to immediately drawback to the scenes that we remember from last summer.

On one side, people at a pro-Trump / “Stop the Steal” rally forced their way inside the U.S. Capitol. There was very little security insight, certainly no National Guard for at least a couple of hours. One apparent protester was killed.

On the other side the social justice and anti-racism protests last June. There was more of a mixed racial demographic there. Other differences include a much larger police presence and the National Guard meeting some protesters with pepper spray and teargas even though things remain relatively peaceful.

Two different scenes, two different causes, and two very different reactions.

Wale: Why was the response so vastly different between the two protests?

“Whenever law enforcement is out in numbers and using force and nothing happens, it’s a waste of resources and why are we paying all these cops overtime?” And then when they don’t have enough cops out there and something happens, it’s why weren’t they prepared? One needs to answer the questions,” said Boston 25 security expert Dan Linskey. “What was the plan? What was the intelligence? What transpired and what were the responses?”

Linskey says whoever was responsible for at least having the national guard on standby is to blame.

Congressman Seth Moulton placing that blame solely on the president, saying “D.C. was not prepared because the mayor asked for the National Guard to be called out and the president refused but the president had no problem calling in the law-enforcement from all over the country to attack peaceful protesters summer when they were staying up for civil rights as part of the Black Lives Matter movement.”

The racial disparity not lost on Celtics legend and civil rights activist Bill Russell who tweeted this:

“How long would it take to deploy the National Guard if they were black & how many would be dead? This is NOT#America! A sitting #President did this @realDonaldTrump #Coward & yes that is a #Confederate flag outside the Senate chamber. How did they not know this would happen?” Russell tweeted.

The National Guard came about three hours later and cleared everyone away.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is sending 1,000 members of the state’s National Guard to D.C., to help “the peaceful transition of presidential power.

They will join law enforcement from Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey.

Linskey says there was enough notice and even if things were not expected to be as bad, in the worst case the National guard should’ve been on standby ready to go within seconds and not hours.

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This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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