The recent winter storm that struck much of the nation over the Christmas weekend hit Buffalo, New York so particularly hard that it may be the worst in the city's history. At least 35 have died in the city as of Tuesday morning. Despite the death and destruction, criminals are adding insult to injury by engaging in looting. Local news station WGRZ has highlighted footage of looting, as has Libs of TikTok and Breaking 911. Police have been making arrests in looting, with a task force established, as WIVB.com noted, and Mayor Byron Brown has some strong words for the culprits as well.
Buffalo, NY in total chaos pic.twitter.com/av9zFrLqwP
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) December 26, 2022
WATCH: Buffalo Looting Footage Shows Widespread Theft, Shots Fired https://t.co/YF8UrkPoR9 pic.twitter.com/AO2SP9Wo7o
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) December 26, 2022
As Chris Pandolofo highlighted for Fox News, Brown, the city's Democratic turned Independent mayor, joined Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) on Monday in an address, during which he called out the looters.
"People who are out looting when people are losing their lives in this harsh winter storm is just absolutely reprehensible," he said. "I don’t know how these people can even live with themselves, how they can look at themselves in the mirror. They are the lowest of the low."
The mayor also pointed out how it wasn't exactly the essentials that people were risking their lives and the lives of others to steal while the community was suffering.
"And from some of the pictures that we’ve seen in social media of these looters, they’re not looting foods and medicines. They’re just looting items that they want," Brown continued. "So, these aren’t even people in distress. These are people that are taking advantage of a natural disaster and the suffering of many in our community to take what they want from retailers – also, potentially putting [emergency response] services at risk in the communities where they are looting."
I’m in Buffalo providing a storm update. Watch live: https://t.co/CkDcGEGmGn
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) December 26, 2022
Gov. Hochul began the update by emphasizing how historically bad the storm was. She also later in her remarks called out price gouging and threatening those who engage in the process, noting they "have the attorney general’s office and our state is prepared to investigate any complains of price gouging," adding for emphasis that "we’re going to be going after them."
She had particularly harsh words when declaring that "those who engage in this disgusting practice at a time when people in our community are hurting, that they’re trying so hard to get basic necessities, there’s a scarcity because stores have been closed since Friday, well then, shame on them. And they’re going to meet the law in a way they probably did not encounter."
Hochul has had an interesting focus on who to go after when applies to crime, as do most Democrats. During her recent election this year to serve her first full-term, Hochul dismissed the issue of crime, particularly in New York City, as being solely about guns, and laughed off her Republican opponent's focus, Rep. Lee Zeldin, on the issue.
While Hochul did defeat Zeldin last month, he came particularly close, and also helped down-ballot Republicans, which no doubt led to his party taking control of the House.
Though arrests have been made with regards to the looting, it's worth reminding that New York is a cashless bail, soft-on-crime state, thanks to policies pushed by Democratic politicians and groups.
The governor made news in a previous address with regards to the storm by focusing on another liberal priority of climate change.
NY Gov. Kathy Hochul on winter storm: "It's very clear to me that the effects of climate change are wreaking havoc everywhere." pic.twitter.com/MiejpXfbwB
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) December 24, 2022
The death toll is particularly high in New York, yet President Joe Biden is still vacationing in St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, leading to heavy criticism as Spencer covered earlier on Tuesday. Biden had approved a New York emergency declaration on Monday.
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