Detroit Police Chief James Craig blasted Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey during a Monday night appearance on “The Story” for suggesting that police officers be disarmed.
“Portland police routinely attack peaceful protestors with brute force,” Markey tweeted Monday. “We must disarm these officers, and every other police department in America, of weapons of war, and enact a nationwide ban on tear gas, rubber and plastic bullets, and bean bag rounds.”
Portland police routinely attack peaceful protestors with brute force. We must disarm these officers, and every other police department in America, of weapons of war, and enact a nationwide ban on tear gas, rubber and plastic bullets, and bean bag rounds. https://t.co/PDZcjhmSLB
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) September 14, 2020
Craig told anchor Martha MacCallum that the notion was “absolutely ridiculous.”
WATCH:
“When are we going to start talking about disarming criminals?” Craig asked. “I’ve been on the record. I support law-abiding citizens to be armed. But criminals?”
Craig criticized media for calling demonstrators who attack police officers “peaceful protesters.”
“So I guess when you’re throwing Molotov cocktails, railroad spikes, other projectiles, you’re using green lasers, I guess that constitutes being peaceful,” he said sarcastically before insisting his department has “never tried to stop folks from their right to free speech.” (RELATED: Jake Tapper Asks Los Angeles Mayor About Deputies Shot And Protesters Shouting ‘We Hope They Die’)
“We’ve been dealing with this for an excess of 100 days,” Craig said of ongoing protests. “Six instances where we’ve had to use force because they were either attacking us or they resisted a lawful arrest. Enough is enough.”