Member-only story
RACISM IN POLICING
Why Police Never Seem to Break Up White Supremacist Rallies
There’s a conflict of interest, given some officers’ affiliations
Professor Uji Anya made a striking comparison that “the reason you don’t see police at white supremacist rallies is the same reason you don’t see Clark Kent and Superman in the same place,” highlighting an unsettling pattern of racism in law enforcement. This comment resonates against the backdrop of mass arrests on college campuses and universities. And exposes the disparity between the way police respond to civil rights vs. white nationalist protests. They often apply a laissez-faire approach, even when white nationalist groups are caught chanting hateful rhetoric. For instance, only three participants of the infamous “Jews will not replace us” rally at the University of Virginia were indicted. We’re left with the unsettling reality that our system is tainted.
While many Americans believe that police are an objective hand of justice, the harsh reality lurks just beneath the surface — far too many officers are also white supremacists. A Reuters report suggested this problem has escalated since the FBI’s warning in 2006. When Black people, like Anya, draw parallels between police and white supremacists, they’re not just whistling dixie. Police officers in…
