Readers of Blaze News no doubt recall the jaw-dropping moment a few months back when Toronto police told residents to leave their car keys at their front doors for thieves to take in order to lessen the risk of crooks physically attacking them in their homes to acquire their keys.
Of course, the backlash was brutal for what smacked of total surrender. But in many ways the suggestion summed up the striking degree to which some police have thrown up their hands in numerous instances, in numerous places, bowing down as crime spikes around them.
“We ain’t f***in’ around!” one militant reportedly was heard yelling at officers while another declared, “I’ll knock you the f*** out, bitch!”
To be clear, it can be convincingly argued that police and their departments may not be at fault for this disturbing trend. Indeed, progressive politicians, woke judges, and soft-on-crime district attorneys have been hell-bent on dismissing criminal charges, siding with crooks, punishing cops, and literally defunding police — all of which demonstrates to lawless types that laws against crime often don’t mean much these days.
In the face of such lack of support — and particularly what leftists learned they could get away with after George Floyd and 2020’s dubiously named “Summer of Love” — who can blame cops for thinking twice before taking action, or even out-and-out retreating?
Here are 10 times police did just that:
Portland police — in riot gear, no less — caught on video running away from mob trying to prevent home foreclosure
Video caught the moments when a violent leftist mob managed to chase away Portland police in December 2020 in order to prevent a home foreclosure. Members of the mob kicked and threw rocks at retreating police vehicles and ran up on cops and appeared to try to steal their equipment while taunting and threatening them; they ended up literally chasing officers down a street. “We ain’t f***in’ around!” one militant reportedly was heard yelling at officers while another declared, “I’ll knock you the f*** out, bitch!”
Seattle police dashcam video shows cop car backing away from street takeover mob — even after thugs brazenly hit vehicle with objects
Seattle police dashcam video captured the scene after midnight in July 2023 as cops responded to a street takeover. The crowd at the intersection shows no signs of fear as the police vehicle approaches — in fact, thugs in the crowd taunt police in the vehicle, which begins to back up. That only emboldens the mob, as its members dump liquid on the police vehicle, climb on its hood, and throw objects at it. Hours later, police said officers heard gunfire at the same intersection and found two shooting victims. Street takeovers have become serious problems in many communities over the last several years; they are planned in advance and involve numerous cars and pedestrians blocking traffic and doing donuts in the middle of intersections.
Video shows Austin police vehicle backing away from advancing mob amid street takeover
The incident in question took place in February 2023, as the police department stated it had responded to four street takeovers on a single night, KXAN-TV reported, adding that the lawlessness included a crowd throwing rocks and bottles and pointing lasers at officers. In the above video, what appears to be a firecracker exploded very close to the police vehicle as it was backing up from the emboldened mob. The station said another video shows a crowd pushing a police vehicle around, and police said one officer was injured and “several police cars” were damaged.
Riley Gaines said a leftist mob assaulted her at a speaking event and forced her — as well as campus cops who were with her — into a safe room for over three hours
It’s unnerving when leftist mobs are so emboldened, so convinced that they can get away with physical attacks that they carry them out right in front of police. In April 2023 Gaines said a pro-transgender mob attacked her amid her speech at San Francisco State University. Yes, police helped protect her — but who was in control? Gaines reportedly ended up barricaded in a room with police for over three hours, during which time LGBT activists allegedly demanded money for her safe passage off campus. No arrests were made. A few months ago, campus police abandoned their investigation.
Antifa militants have their way with Portland cops, throwing snowballs at the retreating officers’ backs before they finally take cover in bureau
Video from February 2021 shows a crowd of Antifa militants outnumbering a pair of Portland police officers who decide not to stick around as the two cops quickly head down a sidewalk as the militants repeatedly holler “Quit your jobs!” and actually throw snowballs and kick snow at the officers. Soon the officers arrive at the city of Portland Police Bureau, where a door opens for them, the cops head inside, and Antifa celebrates getting away with it.
Leftist militant sucker-punches videographer in head outside drag queen story hour; sheriff’s deputy standing just feet away does nothing
This incident took place in April 2023 outside the West Hollywood Library, where the drag queen story hour was taking place. In a clip posted to Twitter by Los Angeles reporter Samuel Braslow, a videographer dressed in purple and blue repeatedly begs an L.A. sheriff’s deputy standing next to him for protection from a growing number of leftists moving toward him in a menacing fashion. When the deputy begins walking away, the videographer asks him, “Why are you leaving me, sir?” After the sucker-punch, the deputy raises a finger at the attacker and says rather half-heartedly, “Stop fighting, sir.” Not only did that deputy appear to witness the physical attack, but at least three other deputies standing farther away did as well — and none of them did a thing about it.
Women caught on video twerking on hood of Chicago police vehicle; cops seem handcuffed by raucous scene
Chicago police in June 2021 said they were investigating a viral video showing a trio of women twerking on top of a department SUV. No, it wasn’t a violent crime — but the brazenness of the display while a crowd gathered around the vehicle and police in the clip didn’t dare do anything about it underscores the degree to which people are convinced they’ll get a free pass for such actions these days. Indeed, a Chicago Sun-Times columnist called out police in the vehicle for encouraging “mayhem” in the streets.
Late-night revelers caught on video jumping atop police car as officer sits inside it, leaving officials and residents disgusted
The women caught on video twerking on the hood of a Chicago police vehicle in the above item may have been inspired by a similar incident that took place in St. Louis about a week beforehand. A citywide call for an officer in need of aid reportedly was issued while a mob danced, kicked, and stomped on top of the officer’s vehicle.
Pittsburgh cops no longer responding to calls that aren’t in-progress emergencies; no desk officers from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m.
Pittsburgh police announced in February they no longer will respond to calls that aren’t in-progress emergencies — and there won’t be desk officers on duty from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. WXPI-TV noted that “essentially means that calls for criminal mischief, theft, harassment and burglary alarms, just to name a few, will all be handled by the telephone reporting unit or online reporting.”
Seattle cop seems to defend leftists blocking traffic, says ‘purpose of protesting’ is making us ‘a little bit uncomfortable’
This isn’t a full-on retreat from lawlessness, but the story is worth repeating for the sheer incredibleness of it. Last November a Seattle police officer was caught on video standing feet away from left-wing protesters blocking downtown traffic — and he also seemed to defend their actions in the faces of annoyed motorists, telling them “it is what it is” and that the “purpose of protesting” sometimes means making others’ lives “a little bit uncomfortable.” Got it.
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Emboldened criminals, Police giving up, Police in retreat, T3, Watch, Crime
