That's a pretty uncharitable interpretation of parent's comment. I read it as "to protect bystanders and property from the mob [that was violent]".
And his point seemed to be that police being "noticeably absent" from peaceful protests is more simply explained by the fact that those protests were peaceful rather than police presence being the source of violence.
Police brutality is a real issue but indiscriminately blaming the police every time they show up doesn't help the cause.
> Police brutality is a real problem but blindly blaming the police every time they show up doesn't help the cause.
Let's not give the police the benefit of the doubt. Time and time again across the nation it has been shown that law enforcement is not for the populace-at-large but for the betterment of the state and its agenda - whoever the party in charge.
And his point seemed to be that police being "noticeably absent" from peaceful protests is more simply explained by the fact that those protests were peaceful rather than police presence being the source of violence.
Police brutality is a real issue but indiscriminately blaming the police every time they show up doesn't help the cause.