New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday he won’t call for the National Guard or any armed forces to patrol his city amid riots that have turned violent and destructive, but would rather clergy help keep the peace.
The New York Democrat pushed back against allegations his city was out of control Monday, as riots broke out in several parts of the Big Apple in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd, a black man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis.
Several reports have noted an SUV attempted to run over police officers in New York.
“We do not need nor do we think it’s wise for the National Guard to be in New York City,” the mayor told reporters. “When outside armed forces go into communities, no good comes of it.”
Instead, he said people should take back their own communities, calling for clergy and civil servants to stand up against looting. The mayor put into place an 8 p.m. curfew for Tuesday, hoping it would also be a useful tool.
He also said the city has 36,000 officers who can keep the peace.
“They are the best-equipped to deal with this situation,” he said.
The comments come after President Trump called for the National Guard to patrol New York.
“NYC, CALL UP THE NATIONAL GUARD,” the president tweeted as Mr. de Blasio was speaking. “The lowlifes and losers are ripping you apart. Act fast!”
Mr. de Blasio’s push back against armed forces also comes after members of his own party have called for more help.
Rep. Max Rose, New York Democrat, said the mayhem in New York City Monday evening showed that the mayor has lost control of the situation “once and for all” and called for the National Guard to be deployed.
Mr. Rose said the “unprecedented looting and attacks on officers and bystanders” was not the work of peaceful protesters, who have gathered in New York and across the country after the Memorial Day killing of Floyd while in police custody in Minnesota.
“Last night demonstrated that the Mayor has lost control of the situation once and for all,” Mr. Rose, who represents Staten Island and Brooklyn, said in a statement Tuesday. “If we are going to enforce an 8:00 p.m. curfew tonight, then the National Guard must be deployed to assist with that and that alone.”
Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who currently serves as Mr. Trump’s personal attorney, said Mr. de Blasio is holding the police back from intervening during the rioting.
“We have watched now over and over again people looting, throwing Molotov cocktails, burning cars, and now putting our police in prison — in — in hospitals and virtually no major arrests are made,” he told Fox Business on Tuesday. “The mayor should step down. He is incompetent.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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