San Jose protest violence: Police Chief Eddie Garcia criticized, Mayor Sam Liccardo blames Trump
While the San Jose police chief Eddie Garcia has denied the charges,. the department is under increasing scrutiny over charges that they allowed Donald Trump supporters to be attacked by violent rioters following a Trump event. Even if “allowed” isn’t the correct language, there may be a stance of “contain” rather than “control” and “arrest.”
Garcia and Mayor Sam Liccardo are under attack as videos reveal officers holding back to avoid inciting more violence and having the crowd turn on officers. Garcia also said the 250 police weren’t enough to control the roughly 400 protesters.
“We are not an ‘occupying force’ and cannot reflect the chaotic tactics of the protesters,” Garcia told reporters. Unless a victim’s life was in peril or the violence was “spiraling out of control,” he said.
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“I can say if there was a single excessive baton blow on anyone in that crowd,” Liccardo said Friday, “that would have made national news.”
Demonstrators ripped a “Build the Wall” T-shirt off the back of one man, videos showed a woman getting attacked and a man left bloodied.
Liccardo was trending on Facebook after he said late Thursday that “at some point Donald Trump needs to take responsibility for his irresponsible behavior.” His comments ranked as the fourth most-talked about topic around the globe.
San Jose City Councilman Pete Constant, a Republican, took issue with the blame game in the press.
“San Jose Mayor blames residents going to a presidential campaign event for being attacked by those who oppose the candidate — another case of blaming the victim?” Constant posted on Facebook. “No matter what your political persuasion, you should not be subject to violence for your beliefs — EVER!”
Some are attacking Garcia for being biased, pointing to his association with the “far left group La Raza.”
Despite the push back, Liccardo doubled down on attacking Trump during a phone interview Friday from Washington, D.C.
“I’m absolutely clear about the fact that people who commit acts of violence are responsible for their own actions,” Liccardo said, “but Mr. Trump is also responsible, as we all are, for our own speech.”
Garcia announced Friday that he has formed a task force to review video evidence and investigate the assaults and other crimes from the protest. He is also asking for people who were there to give police their videos “so we can root out those whose intentions were to disrupt our civil democratic process.”
photo/ donkeyhoteyDonald
