New Chicago Mayor Invokes Trayvon Martin To Defend Old Defunding Police Stance

Incoming Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson invoked Trayvon Martin to defend his previous stance on defunding the police.

Johnson beat Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas in a runoff race on Tuesday. Vallas repeatedly accused Johnson of wanting to “defund the police” which Johnson called a “real political goal” during a Dec. 2020 radio show.

Johnson said people in Chicago have been given a “false choice” on how to deal with public safety, arguing “critical investments” are needed to prevent crime rather than being “tough” on crime.

Johnson cited a need for mental health care services and youth employment before he was asked about previous support for his “defund the police” stance.

“[People] wanted to work in the confines of the system, whether it was body cameras or dashboard cameras,” Johnson said. “All of these implementations of formations that were ostensibly provide more responsibility of law enforcement, but it didn’t work. I’ll never forget the profound words of former President Barack Obama, when he said if he were to have had a son, he would have looked like Trayvon.”

Johnson then cited the death of Michael Brown, Freddie Gray and others, saying “the only equipment on the scene were guns.”

Johnson was then asked what he planned on doing with city resources. He responded by talking about increased youth hiring again. (RELATED: Tucker Carlson Clobbers Chicago Mayor Over Crime Hurting The ‘Poorest People’)

“One of the things that I think is actually quite fascinating about our position here in Chicago, we’ve been pushing this ordinance called treatment, not trauma,” Johnson  said. “In essence, first responders, social workers, counselors, EMT, these individuals would show up cause that – that require those type of interventions. In fact in Chicago almost 40% of the 911 calls are mental health crises.”

Johnson then shot down the possibility of raising property taxes to fund city resources as the city is slated to have a budget deficit.