With looting following otherwise peaceful protests continuing nationwide over the police-related death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Rockland County Executive Ed Day, a former police officer, said that he and local law enforcement will be ready to deal with anything that may come about.
Day then referenced looting in New York City and Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo's handling of the outbreaks.
“These anarchists come to this county at their own peril,” he wrote on Facebook. “This is not de Blasio nor Cuomo territory and there will be no equivocation on action."
“I can tell you as a former police commander (that) they will be dealt with by our law enforcement professionals swiftly,” he added. “Our law enforcement officers will take any and all necessary steps to protect our community and they will have the full and unwavering support from my office and every elected leader in Rockland.”
There has been looting that has often followed peaceful protests since Floyd’s death, with some police forces struggling to contain the violence as some properties are being burned and businesses broken into and robbed.
In a Facebook post on an account dubbed “Rockland County Clown Hunters,” a threatening message was posted on Sunday, May 31.
“Pearl River is a lily white burb where a lot of Pigs live with their piggy families,” the post said. “Time to pay it a visit and make them very uncomfortable! Smells like BACON”
Day said that “violence and anarchy are not social media chatter” in his warning to potential “anarchists.”
“Peaceful protests are rooted in our nation’s history and are welcome as part of our democracy," he added. “Violence and anarchy are not and social media chatter that indicates organized anarchists are thinking of threatening our community warrants this response from your County Executive ... Think twice about that.”
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