NYC First Lady Wants Citizens to 'Physically Intervene' in Violent Crimes After Husband Defunds Police
After the notable role she played in her husband’s decision to defund the New York Police Department, Chirlane McCray, the city’s first lady, is advising locals to take it upon themselves to try to stop violent crimes.
She didn’t imply it, in fact. Rather, McCray outright, and in rather formidable detail, advised New Yorkers not only on how they could potentially stop violent hate crimes they see taking place, but also on how to confront their fears if they considered the whole thing a bit too intimidating.
Such comments could be considered questionable from any public official’s spouse, but then there is the fact that they are from McCray, whom Mayor Bill de Blasio openly admitted pushed him to commit to defunding the police, as the New York Post reported in June.
McCray was also appointed by de Blasio as the co-chairwoman of the Task Force on Racial Inclusion and Equity.
In a Twitter thread on Saturday, the upwardly mobile political wife offered her crash-course in DIY hate crime prevention.
“As attacks on Asian American communities continue, we’re asking New Yorkers to show up for their neighbors and intervene when witnessing hateful violence or harassment. I know that can be frightening when you aren’t sure what to do or say, but you can learn,” she began.
“Fear is a normal feeling when stepping into a confrontation, but being prepared can help,” the Big Apple’s first lady continued.
Next, she offered the “5 D’s” taught by the organization Hollaback! — “D is for Distract, Delegate, Document, Delay, and Direct” (so much for “Run, Hide, Fight,” apparently).
Fear is a normal feeling when stepping into a confrontation, but being prepared can help. I’ll share @iHollaback‘s 5 D’s, which are easy to remember tactics that we can all use to de-escalate a situation.
D is for Distract, Delegate, Document, Delay, and Direct.
— Chirlane McCray (@NYCFirstLady) March 6, 2021
McCray explained that to “distract,” you might try ignoring the assailant completely, interrupting the confrontation and asking the victim a question such as, “What time is it?”
Under “delegate,” she suggested getting others involved, such as “someone in a position of authority.”
What, like a cop?
McCray did not specify.
2. Delegate: Scan a situation to assess risk and determine how to best intervene, and delegate tasks.
Take a look at your surroundings. If you can, find someone in a position of authority, tell them about the situation and ask if they can help.
— Chirlane McCray (@NYCFirstLady) March 6, 2021
She did, however, recommend taping the incident on your phone — “document” — making sure to state the time and location clearly in the video from a “safe distance.”
This could be argued to be the closest thing to sensible advice McCray had to offer the untrained layperson thus far, so let’s hope determined New Yorkers read the whole thread before developing their vigilante hate crime prevention game plan.
4. Delay: Check in with the survivor after the incident. This shows them that they are valued.
This is a great way to support your neighbor if you aren’t feeling confident in the moment. Ask how they’re doing, if they need support or if you can help them file a report.
— Chirlane McCray (@NYCFirstLady) March 6, 2021
Finally, the first lady recommended directly responding to the aggressor or physically intervening after “assessing the situation.”
Rather than mentioning minor details such as your own physical capabilities or situational awareness or when and how to employ the use of a weapon, McCray advises the more daring of hate-crime-busting New Yorkers to “be confident, assertive, calm.”
She did advise that it is “risky” to physically intervene and only to proceed if you have the full confidence you stand a reasonable chance of taking down the attacker, preferably with a weapon you are trained to use.
Just kidding — but I wish I wasn’t.
While she did admit it is indeed “risky,” she said rather that “sometimes all we can do is speak up. If the harasser responds, try your best to focus on assisting the person targeted.”
5. Direct: Respond directly to the aggressor or physically intervene and only after assessing the situation. Be confident, assertive, calm.
This is risky, but sometimes all we can do is speak up. If the harasser responds, try your best to focus on assisting the person targeted.
— Chirlane McCray (@NYCFirstLady) March 6, 2021
Well, how do you think New Yorkers felt about this?
Tell that to Mr. Yong Zheng’s family.
— StevenNYC2019 (@StevenNYC2019) March 7, 2021
Yong Zheng, 46, was an Asian-American good Samaritan who stepped up to intervene in a Brooklyn robbery and was fatally stabbed to death. He was one of several who tried to stop the crime, which took place during the Lantern Festival on Feb. 26 outside an illegal gambling den. Four others were injured, according to WCBS-TV in New York.
Zheng was the sole provider for his wife and children and, the outlet noted, didn’t hesitate to help in light of “anti-Asian American hate on the rise.”
Chirlane McCray, meanwhile, convinced her husband to defund the police and is now telling members of the general public to step up and try to prevent violent crime — something that cost Zheng his life.
In the time that the de Blasio administration has set about defunding the NYPD, shootings have spiked by 97 percent, homicides by 44 percent and burglaries by 42 percent, the Post reported in January.
[firefly_poll]
This is the landscape in which McCray is recommending that the public take up amateur crime prevention — and it is simply beyond the pale.
Now don’t get me wrong—as a firearm owner, I fully support private citizens doing what they can to train for and prepare to preserve human life as best as they are individually capable of doing.
The first lady of New York City, however, is hardly a vocal proponent of lawful self-defense, yet now that she’s managed to get millions pulled from the NYPD budget, she wants to plead with residents to intervene in physical confrontations?
She seems to care about the safety of residents targeted for hate crimes for about as long as she can profess as much for the sake of political posturing. Hence this mind-numbingly careless Twitter thread.
The chilling thing is just how much damage to human life she and the rest of the anti-police leftists could manage to do before they drive the great American localities like New York into utter ruin.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
