Antifa—not the police—seems to be in charge at many protests in the United States, according to National Police Association spokesperson Betsy Smith.
Political radicals control the streets because politicians have told police to stand down, Smith said.
“What we’ve seen since 2014—and then being ramped up after 2020—is this unfortunate atmosphere where Antifa and Antifa-like groups seem to run the show at protests, depending on where you’re at. And law enforcement finds it incredibly frustrating,” she said.
This choice by local governments around the country has far-reaching consequences for freedom of speech, freedom to protest, and the potential for violence, she said….