Letter to the Editor: There Appears to Be a Double Standard With Treatment of BLM, Pro-Trump Mob

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First of all, my heart goes to the brave police officer whose death was caused by the riot in Washington, D.C., Jan. 6. As an activist and Black Lives Matter peaceful protester, I have seen the unfairness and double standards between BLM’s peaceful protesters and so-called protesters that are actually mobs, and it saddens me greatly. As the world watched the Capitol building in D.C. overtaken by Trump's mob, it was clear they were privileged as they made their way into the building, sending lawmakers to go into hiding. Acknowledge that Trump supporters were mobs of violence, but since they were not people of color or BLM supporters, they were not considered a threat. If it were to be a BLM peaceful protester, the National Guard would have been there beforehand.

The BLM supporters were pepper-sprayed so that President Trump could walk to church for a photo opportunity in which the same president incited a riot and encouraged his mob of supporters. BLM protesters were called thugs, were shot with rubber bullets, pepper sprayed and even some killed just because they were asked to move and were given very short notice to do so. On the other hand, the Trump supporters were given hours while they breached the Capitol building by breaking windows, crawling the walls and even trapping one law enforcement officer in the door as mobs made their way inside. 

The brave officer, Brian Sicknick, was seriously injured and later died. My heart goes out to his family. One of the rioters made his way to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office and placed his disrespectful foot on the table. The others went to other offices, destroyed items and shouted “kill Mike Pence” as they walked through the hallways. 

I could only imagine what would have happened to BLM protesters. The next day, only 13 people were arrested compared to thousands of BLM protesters, without questions asked. It clearly shows how there are two systems, one designed for people of color/BLM and supporters and the other for Trump supporters with privilege. The double standard has to stop, and the system that is designed marginalized to only protect one side but not others is unfair and has to change. 

At the Hamilton sign in Napavine, when a group of people gathered it wasn't a threat, but at Morton, our BLM peaceful protesters were faced with intimidation from law enforcement, taking pictures and writing down license plates during Morton protests. 

The America I believe in protects equality for all, not just the ones with privileges. Many of us were not surprised with what happened to the mobs as compared to BLM peaceful protesters. 



The mob was allowed to walk out of the Capitol building with smiles on their faces without any consequence. Let's please make the system work for all no matter who or what color the person. I am not trying to turn this into politics but rather fairness, and acknowledgement of unfairness toward people of color, which the world has seen from start to finish. I hope the ones who are still blind to the mistreatment, injustice and unfairness will open their eyes because it's not too late to make changes nor to admit the unfairness we all saw play out nationally. 

Have a safe and healthy new year. 

 

Sarah Brown

Washington State Area Coordinator with Amnesty International