Letters to the Editor — March 4, 2023
The Issue: The city agreeing to pay $6 million to people who were detained during the 2020 protests.
If Judge Colleen McMahon OKs this settlement proposal, New Yorkers will have to pay provocateurs $21,500 each for their anti-cop protest (“Money to Burn,” March 2).
The city already faces mounting debt; to give those knucklehead protesters $21,500 is insanity.
New Yorkers put up with surging crime, revolving-door justice, rampant inflation, unchecked migration, high-fuel prices and poor schools.
And now we could be forced to pay Floyd protesters for the mayhem they caused.
This is just another nail in the city’s coffin. More reason for law-abiding citizens to flee New York.
Joseph Valente
Staten Island
Another mind-numbing decision by our so-called leaders to pay law-breakers for breaking the law.
I’m not sure what the end game is for the hardcore left in this city, but my family and I will not be around to see it.
I used to be so proud to be a New Yorker; now it’s just a cause for embarrassment.
Michael J. Campisi
Massapequa Park
The woke absurdities being proliferated by New York City when it comes to rewarding miscreants for outlandish criminal behavior continue to mount.
These people circulated flyers that depicted a burning NYPD van with an inscription of “f - - - the police.” After a week of protests and looting, this could have been appropriately construed as inciting a riot.
Yet it was decided that temporarily restricting the movement of a large volatile gathering of protesters is worthy of shelling out $6 million in taxpayer money to appease these contemptible losers.
I propose that instead, the $6 million be allocated for hazard pay to the brave, grossly under-appreciated, praiseworthy members of the NYPD.
Denis David
East Rockaway
My wife’s been wanting to leave New York for quite some time now. I’ve been putting it off because we have nine grandchildren here.
But this payout is the latest mind-boggling, ridiculous thing going on in New York, along with no bail and district attorneys’ failure to prosecute repeat offenders who are destroying the quality of life in New York.
Harry Yasso
East Moriches
I want to thank The Post for its balanced coverage of the city’s decision to award $6 million to the demonstrators who were detained during the protests after the murder of George Floyd.
We should all pay attention to former NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea’s defense of the police because — as he pointed out — police officers confiscated hammers, lighter fluid, gas masks and fireworks during the arrests that were made at that time.
That in itself proves that not everyone who took part in these events were peaceful protesters.
The leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement really need to condemn the violent individuals who were in possession of these weapons. At the same time, the leaders of the Republican Party must condemn their far-right supporters who were involved in the terrorist insurrection that occurred on Jan. 6.
We shouldn’t make excuses for extremists from either side.
John Francis Fox
Sunnyside
New York City will likely pay $6 million to 300 people arrested by the NYPD during the 2020 George Floyd protests.
It was decided that the NYPD handled the protesters too roughly. Yet meanwhile the protesters ignored COVID restrictions and curfews, and some people damaged businesses and destroyed police vehicles.
No support is given to the NYPD in any way. And you wonder why people are leaving the city and many police officers are putting in their papers?
Joseph Comperchio
Brooklyn
I find it unbelievable that New York City is going to pay this group of whatever-you-call-them. In this case, crime does pay.
Christopher Barbaro
Ludlow, Mass.
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