Riots break out in Houston hours after police chief marches with Black Lives Matter protestors

Riots break out in Houston hours after police chief marches with Black Lives Matter protestors

Riots break out in Houston hours after police chief marches with Black Lives Matter protestors

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HOUSTON, TX- Cities are burning.  Police officers are under attack.  The city of Houston is experiencing unprecedented levels of violence.

And shortly after protestors damaged a Houston patrol vehicle… the Police Chief Art Acevedo decided to march with them.

He reportedly told them:

“We are going to march together. Which way do you want to go? Let’s do this together, safely. I will make sure my officers clear a path for your march and I will go with you.

I am not going home tonight until every single person who wants to exercise their First Amendment rights has the opportunity to do so.”

Some officers took it as a direct attack.

One of those officers spoke with Law Enforcement Today on the condition of anonymity:

“I get it – I respect the intent to try and calm things down.  It looks great for public relations,” he said.

“But here’s the reality – you’ve got a chief that’s hated by most of the department because he’s done nothing but destroy the morale of officers. 

He’s a liberal politician hack in a police uniform and his actions here show he’s nothing more than an activist with a big paycheck.”

That’s worked out well in quelling the violence.

On Friday night, all highway and street access to and from downtown was closed off as violence exploded.

We’re receiving reports that several Houston police officers have been injured – but details are sparse at this point.

There are reports of damaged police vehicles.

A number of downtown businesses have been damaged and vandalized.

Chief Acevedo said about a dozen people had been taken into custody by Friday evening.

In Los Angeles, onlookers laughed and filmed as a Los Angeles police officer was attacked by a violent mob on Friday… and that’s not all.

As that police officer was attacked in the street (footage below), the windows of squad cars were smashed out on Friday night.

The riots broke out at Fifth and Olive streets and officers were quick to subdue the violence.

As the city simmers and pockets of violence start to pop up, Los Angeles police said Friday that they wouldn’t tolerate violence or property damage during local demonstrations.

They’re expecting large crowds throughout the night, and the Police Department issued a statement saying it’s concerned about “an increasing level of violence and property damage committed by small number of detractors.”

LAPD says they threw projectiles at officers and damaged businesses in the area.

According to agency spokesmen, those incidents as “isolated,” but said they would “take enforcement action” on anyone who acts unlawfully.

“We stand with our communities and rebuke any instance of police brutality as well as acts of violence or property damage,” Chief Michel Moore said in a statement.

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti held a press briefing Friday evening to address the protests.

“We’re going to protect your rights to protest,” he said.

“Don’t violate any laws in doing that, but we absolutely need, as a nation, certainly as a city, to voice our outrage.

It’s our patriotic duty to not only stand up for George Floyd, but for everybody who has been killed unnecessarily, who has been murdered, for the structural racism that we have in our country.”

He supported the demonstrators on social media.

“Angelenos should follow their conscience in response to the pain and senselessness of this horror,” he wrote in a tweet. “I will always believe in expressing ourselves powerfully, peacefully, and safely.”

Under L.A. County’s current coronavirus health order, protests are allowed but participants are still expected to use face coverings and keep their distance as much as possible.

That’s according to Barbara Ferrer, the county’s top public health official.

“The ability for people to protest in a peaceful way is in fact one of only two event gatherings that are allowed across the state,” she said. “We do ask people to adhere with the guidance.”

Yet demonstrators could be seen smashing police car windows and dragging a police officer into the crowd.

You can see in the video as they throw him to the ground and beat him before he managed to get away – it was all captured from Sky5.

In the meantime, the 88th precinct in New York is coming under attack – and we have reports in from multiple law enforcement sources that “dozens” of officers have been injured.

Local media is reporting hundreds of arrests have taken place.

https://twitter.com/JamesAGagliano/status/1266546781569142784

We’re also hearing reports of officers down in a very active and developing situation where the 88th precinct has reportedly been overrun.

Social media posters are sharing images of officers walking to safety – away from the police department.

Multiple NYPD vehicles were attacked with rocks, spray paint and other vandalism… only to be torched moments later.

Units are being called in from all across the city, reportedly, but the crowds are quickly growing in size.

Rioters are brazenly vandalizing police vehicles while taunting officers that “there’s nothing they can do about it”.

https://twitter.com/scottheins/status/1266540699744374785

We’ve also received report that both officers and other rioters were injured by hunks of concrete and bottles being thrown.

This all comes just hours after NYPD warned officers about an online call for “cop killing”, we’re receiving words that the 88th precinct is being overrun.

Sources on the ground tell Law Enforcement Today that a Level 3 mobilization has been called – which will result in a massive police presence.

James Gagliano is also reporting the same.

Dozens of units have been called in.

We’re also hearing reports that now shots have been fired – and that a protestor might have been shot by another rioter.  

Sources tell Law Enforcement Today that what started as peaceful protests – despite orders this month from Mayor De Blasio specifically against such protests – quickly started turning violent.

We’ve received word that officers across the city have been being pelted with rocks and other objects and that NYPD vehicles in multiple precincts are being vandalized as well.

Social media quickly erupted with people attacking police officers for trying to quell the violence.

The crowds are quickly growing in size, as is the police presence.

 

An officer safety alert has been issued with the New York Police Department following an online call for “cop killing.”

The NYPD distributed an internal memo to members saying that Khaalid Anderson, 26 years old of Brooklyn, issued a threat on social media.

The threat said:

“Cop killings are gonna become a thing and I’m here for it.

“Sucks to say but I feel like it’s gotta come to this in order for things to change. Please humble me if you got a different answer but I feel like somebody gotta die. I don’t see another way unless we pull up on some Black Panther shit. But even then, I feel like somebody still gotta get popped prematurely to let them know “accidents” happen and shit ain’t a game no mo. We gotta go to war bout respect.”

 

The threat of course was made in response to the officer-involved death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. 

While there is no probable cause for an arrest after the social media posting, police were told to “exercise caution and to remain vigilant.”

Fox News reported:

“An NYPD public information officers had no comment on the alert, which was obtained by Shawn Cohen, a journalist who worked the NYPD beat for the New York Post. Cohen tweeted a screenshot of the alert Friday morning.”

On Facebook, Anderson is boasting of his comments, saying:

“I made a tweet about cop killings on Twitter and the laws been on my ass every since lol
Mfs been pulling up to the crib looking for my ass for 2 days now, mistaking my roommates for me and looking goofy.

“It’s people with real issues out here and mfs pulling up on me about tweets lol smh. Ima say be careful with what y’all say and do because they wack ass gon try to find ya lol and if ya mouth too slick slick, who knows what may happen to ya. I ain’t answering no doors lol”

 

According to his Facebook page, another name that Anderson goes by is Norman Basquiat.

The threatening statements continued on Twitter:

Despite his comments calling for police killings, he appeared to backpedal once the alert was issued.

Anderson also indicated on Twitter Friday morning that he wants to “light some shit up.”

Anderson mentioned killing or cops getting “popped” more than once on his social media pages.

He said that the out of control violent riots which left the city of Minneapolis in burned shambles were “progress.”

Officers of NYPD, and everywhere really, please keep your head on a swivel today and every day. 

NEW YORK, NY- Remember when just weeks ago, Mayor de Blasio threatened police action on the Jewish community for having funerals and gathering to pay respects to the fallen?

Where is he right now as cops come under attack during growing protests?

Thursday evening, police arrested more than 40 demonstrators in the city after the violent protests from Minnesota spread to New York.

According to NYPD, multiple officers were hurt.

Among them was one who was struck in the head with a garbage can and another who was punched in the face.

Despite mandates to wear a mask in public and practice social distancing, other protestors spit at police and gathered in large groups.

A public spokesperson for NYPD said a protestor also tried to remove an officer’s gun from its holster.

“Peaceful protest is always the best way to protest,” the spokesperson urged.

FDNY confirmed to local media that four police officers were injured and transported to nearby hospitals.

They also said one woman was arrested for carrying a large knife.

As the day went on, more than five protestors were arrested near Union Square Park for throwing bottles at officers.

By 9:30 p.m., more than 40 people had been arrested.

Among them were the person who threw a garbage can at an officer’s head and someone else who is accused of punching a female NYPD inspector in the chest.

Videos all over social media showed protesters battling with police.

In some of the clips, the crowd could be heard chanting “Black lives matter” or “Hands up, don’t shoot.”

As the sun went down, the crowds grew throughout Manhattan.

You could see in one video an officer who was holding a video camera repeatedly tell protesters to “back up” as other officers made an arrest behind him… and the two were surrounded by a swarm of masked, young people surrounded them.

Dermot Shea, the city’s police commissioner, had condemned the Minnesota incident even before the protests in the city began.

“This is not acceptable anywhere,” he tweeted about Floyd’s death.

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The staff of Law Enforcement Today is comprised of mostly career cops, as well as their avid supporters. Cumulatively, we possess nearly a century of experience in the business of police work. Our backgrounds derive from the East Coast, West Coast, South and Upper Midwest. We are the voice of law enforcement, connecting with our readers throughout the entire country and uniting the Blue Family. We have our finger on the pulse of American Law Enforcement and endlessly support our brothers and sisters who hold the Thin Blue Line.

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