Democratic official changes dismantle-the-police tune after vicious attack, carjacking

A Democratic official who called for dismantling the police at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests was singing a different tune after being carjacked and viciously beaten in her driveway in front of her children.

Shivanthi Sathanandan, second vice chairwoman of the Minnesota Democrat-Farmer-Labor Party, posted a photo of herself with blood streaking down her face, saying she suffered a broken leg, bruises, cuts, and deep lacerations on her head in the attack.

“Four very young men, all carrying guns, beat me violently down to the ground in front of our kids,” she said in a Wednesday post on Facebook. “The young men held our neighbors up at gunpoint when they ran over and tried to help me. All in broad daylight.”

Ms. Sathanandan went on to demand consequences, saying “we need to get illegal guns off the street, catch these young people who are running wild creating chaos across our city and,” changing into screaming all capital letters, “hold them in custody and prosecute them. Period.”

Her account quickly went viral, not just because of the brutality of the attack, but because of a three-year-old post showing Ms. Sathanandan was among those on the left targeting the Minneapolis Police Department after the May 2020 killing of George Floyd at the hands of an officer.

“We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department. Say it with me,” she said in a Facebook post on June 5, 2020. “DISMANTLE [clap emoji] The [clap emoji] Minneapolis [clap emoji] Police [clap emoji] Department [clap emoji].”

Social-media users were quick to point out the pre- and post-attack discrepancy in her views.

“You literally did everything in your power to dismantle the police. Now you’re reaping what you sowed,” said the first comment on her latest Facebook post.

Another commenter said: “No one should have this happen to them, children present or otherwise. Not ever. Nevertheless, HOW COULD Ms. Sathanandan NOT SEE THIS COMING, considering the efforts of her party? If you fight for a lawless state, lawlessness happens in broad daylight.”

DEFUND THE POLICE Marxist gets what she advocated for. pic.twitter.com/LlDh6PTxLb

— Cernovich (@Cernovich) September 7, 2023

Power Line editor John Hinderaker said he appreciated Ms. Sathanandan’s call to prosecute the offenders in a post entitled, “A Neoconservative is a Liberal Who Has Been Mugged.”

“Hold juveniles accountable for their crimes? That would be a massive change of policy in Minnesota,” said Mr. Hinderaker, a Minnesota resident. “We do have this good news for Ms. Sathanandan: until now, carjacking has been punished as a simple robbery, which means hardly punished at all.”

He added that “as a result of my organization’s Take Carjacking Seriously campaign, carjacking is now punished with sentences comparable to third degree homicide or aggravated assault.”

Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon referred to Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s lawsuit against Kia and Hyundai seeking to hold them responsible for rising car thefts.

“Are the car manufacturers going to be held accountable, or are we all going to act like someone else is to blame?” Mr. Dillon tweeted.

Twitchy’s Aaron Walker said he hoped Ms. Sathanandan would respond by revising her views on law enforcement.

“So rather than accusing her of being a hypocrite, like some people, we are going to strongly consider the possibility that this will be an experience that helps her grow as a person and realize that we do, in fact, need the police,” he said in a Thursday post.

Indeed, the Democrat ended her post by thanking “the incredible Minneapolis 4th Precinct Officers, Mayor Frey, Chief O’Hara, Paramedics, neighbors, friends and DFL family, who all came to our [aid] during this terrifying experience. I’m so grateful for this community that wraps us in love.”

Mr. Hinderaker gave her credit, saying it was “nice to see that Sathanandan is now thankful to ‘the incredible Minneapolis 4th Precinct Officers.’”

The Minneapolis 3rd Precinct headquarters was destroyed after rioters set it on fire on May 28, 2020. Three years later, the building’s charred remains are still fenced off.

A city ballot measure to restructure and reduce the authority of the Minneapolis police department was soundly defeated by voters in November 2021.