Violent rioting has seemingly turned into a tradition for the political Left in the United States. In 2020, after the death of George Floyd, liberals erupted in violent protest under the guise of “racial justice.” Anarchy and mayhem filled the streets of almost every state resulting in at least a dozen deaths and even an outright rebellion. In Seattle, multiple blocks were occupied by revolutionaries who declared the area the Capital Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ). Yet, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan (D) labeled the season as a “summer of love.” The riots not only cost lives, but also money. Axios reported that the losses in insurance exceeded $1 billion, perhaps eclipsing $2 billion.
Cities across the country erupted in flames as “social justice warriors” took to the streets to demonstrate their vitriol against the police. In Los Angeles for example, buildings and vehicles became a canvas for graffiti, with “ACAB” (All cops are bad) being sprayed across the city. The “city of angels” was overrun by an angry mob for weeks, lawless and running rampant.
This year, the Left released another “summer of love” sequel, once again filming on location in Hollywood. For over a week protestors seized the streets of Los Angeles, destroying property and assaulting law enforcement in the name of justice for illegal immigrants. They looted stores, vandalized federal buildings, and destroyed police vehicles in protest of the ICE raids and deportations.
Just a couple weeks after the turmoil concluded, city officials are starting to count the cost. After California citizens already lost their largest city to the mob, now they will have to pay to clean up their mess. One city official announced the riots will end up costing over $32 million in taxpayer dollars. Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia wrote, “$29.5 million or 92% relates to LAPD’s response to protests against ICE including citywide tactical alert costs” and “$1.4 million relates to clean-up / public property damage.” Meija added that these figures don’t account for any potential lawsuits that may arise in the coming months, so the costs are likely to increase.
On the federal level, the taxpayer will be responsible for fronting money as well. When the crowd became unruly and Governor Gavin Newsom (D) refused to act, President Trump was forced to deploy the National Guard to regain law and order, costing about $134 million.
This habit of leftist violence has become a cause for concern. Director of FRC Action Matt Carpenter told The Washington Stand, “It’s clear the Left in America today views themselves as the latest iteration in a string of historic, left-wing revolutionary movements. They’re comfortable wearing the labels ‘socialist,’ ‘democratic socialist,’ and even ‘communist’ or ‘Marxist,’ and they deploy the same violent tactics as their predecessors. The professional Left in the media, in think tanks, and in Congress have not just failed to condemn political violence from the Left, but they often incite it themselves.”
Carpenter pointed out that property loss should be the least of our concerns. The “left-wing rioters destroyed cities from coast to coast,” Carpenter continued. He also observed that protests tragically “lead to the deaths of law enforcement officers and others.”
Quenching the flames of anarchy every summer is not sustainable. Even though the National Guard was able to reestablish law and order, the U.S. can’t afford to expend more tax dollars to repair cities and lose more lives to protect innocent civilians. Carpenter had suggestions for the Trump administration to help end the lawlessness once and for all.
“If the current administration truly wants to end the left-wing cycle of violence, they will start investigating the financiers behind these riots. The wealthy benefactors who fund these riots have an agenda that relies on destruction and death, and they need to be held accountable,” Carpenter said. He concluded, “While rolling up a dozen or so of the most violent agitators on the ground is important to keep the peace, investigating the wealthy benefactors behind the violence will prevent more from occurring in the future.”
