More than 1,500 buildings, many black-owned businesses, damaged in Twin Cities area as violence continues

When Rodney King rioters destroyed parts of Los Angeles, it spurred the greatest anti-crime bill in a generation. Now, when federal protection against anarchy is needed even more than in 1992, Republicans are agreeing with the premise of the rioters by pushing their vapid policing bill. How about an anti-crime and anti-insurrection bill?

Lost in the rose-colored reporting on the modern-day pilgrims and pioneers taking to the streets, Minneapolis officials posted a map of 700 buildings that have been partially or fully destroyed throughout the city, many of them housing multiple businesses. Overall, across the broader Twin Cities area, more than 1,500 buildings have been vandalized or looted or had doors and windows smashed.

Black lives matter? Really? Well, as the city officials noted, the damage was almost all in “minority communities.” This disproportionately affects black business owners and consumers alike. It will permanently run down property values and, in the long run, ensure that there is no investment in these neighborhoods.

This is a reflection of what is happening in the rampant anarchy and the war on cops. The same way more black people become victims of crime when the police are forced to cower in their stations, more black businesses are destroyed and the quality of minority neighborhoods plummets thanks to the hands-off approach of cops.