Trying to calm down a very volatile situation, Mayor deBlasio called for a moratorium on protests until after the funerals of the two dead officers. Via Raw Story:
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio sought to ease tensions with the police force on Monday, calling for a suspension of protests against the use of excessive force until after the funerals of two officers killed by a gunman over the weekend.
De Blasio, a Democrat who has come under intense criticism from some police unions for his handling of protests over police killings of unarmed black men, asked the city to stand by families of the officers slain on Saturday.
“It’s a time for everyone to put aside political debates, put aside protests, put aside all of the things we will talk about in due time,” de Blasio said in a speech to a charity with close ties to the New York Police Department. “Let’s comfort these families, let’s see them through these funerals. Then debate can begin again.”
The U.S. Justice Department condemned the attack in which a 28-year-old man with a troubled history ambushed two officers while they were sitting in their patrol car in Brooklyn, apparently to avenge the killings by white officers of unarmed black men in Ferguson, Missouri, and New York City. The gunman then killed himself.
Earlier Monday, Police Commissioner William Bratton urged an easing of tensions after some in his force accused de Blasio of being insufficiently supportive of police.
“This issue is really starting to go down partisan lines, Republican/Democrat,” Bratton told NBC’s “Today” program. This is something that should be bringing us all together, not taking us apart.”
