In the summer of 2020, nationwide violent civil unrest following the tragic death of George Floyd gripped the nation. All major political and media figures, on both sides of the political spectrum, had condemned what appeared to have happened to George Floyd, but that didn’t matter. The death was a clear aberration, as “the Washington Post’s database of fatal police shootings showed 14 unarmed Black victims and 25 unarmed white victims in 2019.... The number of unarmed Black shooting victims is down 63% from 2015, when the database began. There are about 7,300 Black homicide victims a year. The 14 unarmed victims in fatal police shootings would comprise only 0.2% of that total.” https://manhattan.institute/article/there-is-no-epidemic-of-fatal-police-shootings-against-unarmed-black-americans That didn’t matter. This aberrant incident should have been solely a news story. Instead, it was used by our enemies to start an insurrection in almost the same way we are witnessing now against ICE. 

First, by U.S. Code Title 18 Section 2383, an insurrection involves a violent uprising and/or actively opposing the government’s power or lawful authority. That clearly occurred in 2020. The violence in the wake of George Floyd’s death quickly escalated from riots into mobs seizing and burning down a major police station in Minneapolis. The agenda of those driving unrest went much further than justice for Floyd, particularly with those seeking to overthrow capitalism. One of the socialist publications was openly elated about the whole thing:

“There is only one moment in 2020 that stands out as one of undiluted elation. That moment came on the night of May 28, three days after George Floyd was killed by police.... Around 10:00 p.m. that night, I sat....  watching a live stream of riot police evacuating from the Third Precinct headquarters. The cops all scurried away, and protesters proceeded to burn down the police station.... That was one of the coolest f. cking things I’ve ever seen....  In this case, the people chased the police. And they went into the police’s home, and they burned it the f..ck down.... This was beauty..... It was like watching a very ephemeral war being won.” 

The Revolutionary Communist Party in America put it thusly:

“The fact that a majority of Minneapolis council members have pledged to ‘defund and dismantle’ the Police Department is a testament to the power of the uprising in the city where it started. The capitalist establishment has realized that promises of piecemeal reform will no longer have any impact on the protesters, who made their feelings clear when they burned down the third precinct. Even more than that. The protesters in Minneapolis not only burned down one of the police precincts, but they also started building neighbourhood defense.”...  

Other communist and/or socialist publications lauded Floyd riots overwhelming State and Federal law enforcement to bring anarchy. Part of Seattle, “CHOPs” (aka “CHAZ”), was seized by socialist Floyd rioters who then barred Federal or State law enforcement from entering. From those supporting the civil unrest came ubiquitous calls to abolish police and end capitalism.   

The same is again happening in Minneapolis now. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CPB) surged to Minneapolis to carry out their mission of enforcement of immigration law as they have done elsewhere. The Constitution grants the Federal government control over immigration, so agents cannot legally be hindered in their duties. ICE and CPB have had millions of interactions with citizens and non-citizens throughout the U.S. while apprehending those who have violated immigration law. Unfortunately, in Minneapolis the same kind of rioters from 2020 immediately went to “work” against ICE and CPB. In two unfortunate incidents, those who were impeding Federal Law enforcement died. Unfortunately, this happens with massive rioting against agents conducting dangerous missions to remove dangerous criminals. 

The socialist and/or communist fingerprints are already clear. A recent investigation found a Chinese Communist Party advocate and billionaire, Neville Roy Singham, has been funding those opposing Federal law enforcement in Minneapolis through socialist/communist front groups:

“several organizations are acting as lead voices in physically mobilizing agitators in Minneapolis, as well as communicating through multiple channels to encourage agitators to take to the streets in Minnesota and other cities. The Party for Socialism and Liberation and The People’s Forum are two of the core groups who allegedly have been behind facilitating and pushing agitators to organize on multiple occasions.” 

These groups are pushing the same themes as I described during the Floyd civil unrest. They advocate an end to Law enforcement, stigmatizing agents as murderers, and destruction of capitalism. The Party for Socialism and Liberation directly fights for a socialist America. Of note, the CCP was also caught supporting both the 2020 civil unrest through these same kinds of front groups.  

America came through 2020 battered and shaken but thankfully standing. The greatest mistake then was retreating from the mob who burned out the police. That emboldened those who hate us. Retreat can never happen again. If we were to give in and retreat from Federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis that again embolden those who hate us. 1 Corinthians 13:16 tells us to “stand firm in the faith” and to be “strong”. Time to remain united in faith and strength.  

Colonel Bill Connor (U.S. Army, ret.) is a distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Army War College, Bill is a book author who has published numerous defense related articles nationally and internationally. He is now an attorney and law firm owner and the recipient of South Carolina’s highest award, the Order of the Palmetto.