How do you restore order when people start riots over injustices that never happened?
Tragically, as riots sparked by disinformation unfold in Minneapolis and Chicago, this is the question we now face as a country. Things are spiraling out of control.
The riots that broke out in late May and June after the death of George Floyd in police custody were destructive beyond description. At least 15 people were killed during the wanton arson and looting. Meanwhile, thousands of businesses, many owned by people of color, were destroyed, looted, and vandalized. The economic fallout of this violence will haunt riot-torn urban communities for decades.
But, at the very least, the Floyd riots erupted over a genuine injustice. A police officer kneeled on Floyd’s neck and behaved with gross recklessness to tragic results. While this injustice in no way justifies the rioting — in fact, it’s empirically shown that violent rioting sets back the criminal justice reform cause — it at least gives us something to address.
The Floyd riots were grounded in reality. We could grapple with them and hope to heal. But several of the latest bouts of violence have broken out in response to police killings that never actually happened.
Yes, you read that right.
The riots that broke out in Chicago in mid-August left 13 police officers injured and entire streets in ruins. Criminals destroyed businesses and trampled over the rule of law.
Chicago Best Buy strip mall heavily damaged North Ave by Elston #NBCSky5 live @nbcchicago @KyeMartinNBC @AlexMaragosNBC pic.twitter.com/4vEacQ8Dmz— Mike Lorber (@NBCSky5) August 10, 2020
This violence broke out after false social media rumors suggesting that Chicago police had killed an unarmed 15-year-old boy prompted viral outrage. In reality, according to ABC News, police shot an armed adult male who allegedly opened fire on them. The man was arrested and taken to the hospital for his wounds, expected to recover.
There was no murder. There was no injustice. But hundreds of violent criminals rioted all the same.
Similar scenes unfolded in Minneapolis this week.
According to the New York Post, false reports that law enforcement had killed an unarmed man sparked more rioting and looting — even though police immediately debunked the claim. Just 90 minutes after the incident, they released a video and statement showing that an armed murder suspect committed suicide when police approached him.
This is similar to the false narrative stoked in Chicago earlier this month that led to widespread looting and riots along Chicago’s Magnificent Mile.— James A. Gagliano (@JamesAGagliano) August 27, 2020
A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes ... pic.twitter.com/5mPqBnjb53
This may be tragic, but by no reasonable estimation is it equivalent to the injustice of Floyd's death. Yet rioting and looting consumed the city all the same.
Looting is now taking place at the Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis after a man committed suicide while being pursued by police. Any excuse to riot. pic.twitter.com/gWrLpc8eoJ— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 27, 2020
This is chilling. A segment of our society has become so unbalanced that it will leap to outright violence over misinformation and false rumors. But at minimum, the solution to the rioting is clear-cut.
From Minneapolis to Portland to Chicago, Democratic city officials must finally enforce the rule of law, and while always respecting the rights of peaceful protesters, allow the police to arrest any and all criminals who engage in looting, vandalism, arson, or violence. Local officials should also, where necessary, request and allow the federal government to send in the National Guard to aid in quelling riots. The permissive, sympathetic environment and hands-off instructions for police that have encouraged this chaos must end.
The real challenge will come after the dust settles. It will be no easy task to heal a society so sick that it leaps to violence over fake tragedies and social media rumors.
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