The African American Mayors Association reports: “Today, the African American Mayors Association (AAMA) and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) spoke out against rampant white supremacy and called for police departments to take steps to stamp out radicalization internally.
Mayor McKinley Price, DDS (Newport News, VA) — President of AAMA — and Lynda R. Williams — President of NOBLE — stated:
“The attack on the U.S. Capitol offers yet more proof that white supremacy is the biggest, most threatening form of domestic terrorism our nation faces. For months, white supremacist rhetoric has skyrocketed, fueling a sharp increase in hate crimes and violence nationwide. All of this culminated in a vicious attack on the Capitol that left five people dead and many officers injured.
For weeks prior, white supremacists and other extremists had openly discussed bringing weapons and committing acts of violence, yet law enforcement did not prepare to deal with these threats. Many officers are under investigation for aiding the rioters and for participating in the coup themselves highlights the disturbing trend of white supremacist radicalization within the ranks of law enforcement and the military.
“Compare that to the largely peaceful Black Lives Matter calls for justice reform last summer, when protestors were tear-gassed, forcibly moved, and arrested for minor offenses, or nothing at all. There was an army of officers prepared to deal with any transgressions. This stark difference in response is abhorrent to the principles of law and justice.
“As Black mayors and law enforcement executives, we are particularly cognizant of how Black officers are grappling with the surge in white supremacist violence. They put their lives on the line to defend our country from domestic terrorists who refuse to acknowledge the humanity of Black people and in many cases, seek to cause us harm. Black officers have also reported that their police departments have ignored increasing radicalization of their own colleagues.
“That’s why, today, we are calling for law enforcement leaders and Mayors to work together to conduct audits of white supremacy and other forms of extremism within law enforcement agencies – and to take steps to curb radicalization internally. We must root out white supremacy within our police departments to have any chance of destroying this threat to our national security.” “
