Brooks: ‘Protesters Have Done a Better Job of Quelling Violence Than the Police’

On Friday’s “PBS NewsHour,” New York Times columnist David Brooks stated that there have been good developments in public opinion on policing and race and that the protests have become more peaceful as they’ve gone on, “and the protesters have done a better job of quelling violence than the police.”

Brooks stated, “This has been a remarkable week in shifts of attitudes. If you ask people, do you support Black Lives Matter? Two years ago, most people said, no. And now, by 29 percentage points, they say, yes. If you ask people, what do you fear more, police violence or the violence of the rioting and looting? They say, I fear police violence more by 2-1. If you ask people, are black people treated unfairly and abused unfairly by the police? After Eric Garner was killed in 2014, only 33 percent said that. Now, 58 percent say that. So, we’re seeing dramatic shifts in public opinion as regards to the African American experience. And that has been one of the positive developments.”

He continued, “I think the second positive development is just the peaceful protests. The protests have gotten more peaceful as they’ve gone along, and the protesters have done a better job of quelling violence than the police.”

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