News/Commentary

Mayor Eric Adams rips into anti-cop activists: Where are all those who stated ‘Black Lives Matter?’

April 14, 2022 | | Print Article

Amid a string of violent shootings in a short span of time across New York City, Mayor Eric Adams is pointing fingers.

The Democrat mayor lambasted anti-police activists as well as Black Lives Matter after more than a dozen people were shot and three people were killed in shootings over the span of a few hours in the Bronx and Brooklyn. Adams also targeted social media platforms for failing to flag officials about disturbing videos posted by the suspect in the Brooklyn subway shooting on Tuesday.

“I thought black lives matter,” the former New York City Police Department captain told Ruschell Boone in an interview Wednesday on Spectrum News NY1.

“Where are all those who stated ‘Black Lives Matter?’” the frustrated mayor asked, responding to a question about the violence that has rocked the city.

“Then go do an analysis of who was killed or shot last night. I was up all night speaking to my commanders in the Bronx, in Brooklyn,” Adams said. “The victims were black. Many of the shooters were black.”

Over a six-hour span Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, a 23-year-old woman and two men, 22 and 21, were killed and over 13 people were injured in separate shooting incidents, according to police.

ADVERTISEMENT

Besides the question for progressives and the left, the mayor also put the responsibility on the families of the suspects, asking why teens are “out in our streets, armed with guns” in the night.

“When are we going to ask these serious question. If black lives matter, then the thousands of people I saw on the street when (George) Floyd was murdered should be on the street right now stating that the lives of these black children that are dying every night matters,” Adams said.

“We can’t be hypocrites,” he added.

The latest series of shootings followed the violence that unfolded on the Brooklyn subway on Tuesday when a man whom police suspect is 62-year-old Frank James detonated smoke bombs and then opened fire during the busy morning commute. Though there were thankfully no fatalities, over a dozen people were reportedly wounded and a manhunt was launched to find James who was arrested Wednesday.

Adams chastised YouTube and social media companies that did nothing about the many online rants by James that were posted on the platform, filled with grievances and racist remarks. James had even singled out the New York City mayor in his videos.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Mr. Mayor, I’m a victim of your mental health program,” James reportedly said in one video. “I’m 63 now full of hate, full of anger, and full of bitterness.”

Adams contended that social media companies should have been more “proactive.”

“We are watching signs around us of those who are leaning toward violent actions and ignoring them,” Adams told CNN on Wednesday morning.

“I cannot play a song on a social media channel that belongs to someone else without them identifying that. Why aren’t we identifying these dangerous threats,” he asked. “Why aren’t we being more proactive instead of waiting for this to happen?”

ADVERTISEMENT

“There is some responsibility, I think, on social media industries and companies,” he added. “[We] must lean into why we’re watching these postings and these threats every day, and no one is giving an early warning sign to law enforcement.”

Frieda Powers
Latest posts by Frieda Powers (see all)

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Latest Articles