NEW YORK – The US Department of Justice warned on Monday that progressive cities of New York, Portland and Seattle could be deprived of federal funding because of supposed lax policing, in extension of an executive order published in early September by Donald Trump.
Lhe New York authorities have threatened to take legal action if the Republican government follows through on its threats.
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“We cannot waste public funds when the safety of citizens is at stake,” said US Department of Justice William Barr.
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For the Trump administration, local authorities in New York, Seattle and Portland have allowed “lawlessness, violence and destruction” to develop.
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Portland and Seattle are blacklisted for failing to curb the excesses that occurred on the sidelines of the demonstrations linked to the death of George Floyd, a black man killed by the Minneapolis police during his arrest.
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“Autonomous zone”
In the case of Seattle, it is mainly a question of the “autonomous zone” established in a district of the city for several weeks and from which the police had withdrawn.
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But this perimeter was evacuated in early July, after several incidents, including two murderers, by the police, who regained control of the premises.
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As for Portland, the Trump administration denounces the “chaos” born of daily demonstrations, on the sidelines of which degradations have taken place.
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New York is criticized for failing to prosecute some protesters arrested during the spring marches as well as the increase in the number of shootings in the city in recent months.
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“All of this is deeply political and unconstitutional,” reacted the mayors of the three cities concerned, in a joint statement, accusing the Trump administration of “shirking its responsibilities and blaming others to hide its shortcomings” .
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New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has warned that if the Trump administration does attempt to deprive New York City of some of its federal funding, it will take legal action.
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