Oh, just call it what it is, guys. I assure you it’ll make your jobs easier. ABC News appears to have set a new standard in not calling something for what it is regarding the mayhem that erupted in Oakland, California. Weeks have passed since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, which set off another wave of left-wing protests, riots, and Black Lives Matter activism. Most of the nation’s cities were engulfed in total chaos in the days after the incident. Minneapolis was burned to the ground. New York City was taken over by the mob. Washington D.C. was besieged. While the rioting has calmed down in most places, pockets of the Left Coast are still trying to destroy federal buildings. It’s what prompted the Trump White House to launch Operation Legend, which deployed federal agents to bring law and order to cities that are still a mess and protect federal property.
Yet, in their never-ending ‘orange man…bad’ mode, ABC News tried to pass this on as a legitimate take about the riot in Oakland. It’s an Associated Press Story, but the news outlet said this on their social media account “protesters in California set fire to a courthouse, damaged a police station and assaulted officers after a peaceful demonstration intensified.”
Protesters in California set fire to a courthouse, damaged a police station and assaulted officers after a peaceful demonstration intensified. https://t.co/fUZTABUM21
— ABC News (@ABC) July 26, 2020
Intensely peaceful! https://t.co/Gg55xmlo0i
— Bryan Suits. KFI Los Angeles (@darksecretplace) July 26, 2020
— Claire Lehmann (@clairlemon) July 26, 2020
It became even more intensely peaceful. https://t.co/QD6TUikqvF
— James Taranto (@jamestaranto) July 26, 2020
What?!
When a courthouse is set on fire and a police station is vandalized, it’s no longer a peaceful demonstration. It’s a riot. At least the AP story aggregated on ABC News was a little more accurate (via ABC News) [emphasis mine]:
A protest through the streets of downtown Oakland, California, in support of racial justice and police reform turned violent when “agitators" among the demonstrators set fire to a courthouse, vandalized a police station and shot fireworks at officers, authorities said.
About 700 demonstrators participated in what started as a peaceful march Saturday night but then some broke from the larger group and smashed windows, spray-painted graffiti and pointed lasers at officers, the Oakland Police Department said on Twitter. Several tweets called for peace and asked organizers to “help us provide safe spaces and safe places for demonstrators.”
Several fires were set in the downtown area, including one at the Alameda County Superior Courthouse that was quickly contained. Police said protesters at one point were “breaking windows and chanting racial slurs at residents.” Photos tweeted by the department showed broken glass and paint splattered on the police headquarters building.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure the “agitators” were just the people at this demonstration who were ready to rumble, as we’ve seen all over the country. The worst attempt at spin was in Minneapolis, where Gov. Tim Walz tried to say that roving bands of white supremacists were causing the mayhem in the city. Not true.
And yes, our friends at Twitchy didn’t miss this slip-up by ABC. Guys, just call things what they are--it's not that hard.
(H/T Twitchy)
***
I mean, this is absurd:
amazing pic.twitter.com/kAzX5Ldh3T
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) July 27, 2020
Join the conversation as a VIP Member