Letter to the editor: Demonstrators face crackdown; looters are let go

As I watch the many demonstrations occurring in our country today in reaction to the suffocating of George Floyd, I am impressed with the large number of people who are involved in them. It is a positive statement of the concern that so many Americans have for this kind of racial issue, and who wish to show their concern in a public way. We should be pleased that they are doing so.

However, as I watch all of this on TV, I am seeing large numbers of police herding peaceful demonstrators in the direction in which they want the demonstrators to go.

But what I am not seeing is any number of police in front of the shops being looted and arresting those who exit these shops for looting, which I believe is still a crime.

Thus the message seems to be that the demonstrators need the police to show them the direction in which to go, but that it is OK for looters to break store windows and to loot the shops.

What a commentary on the priorities of the police in so many of our large cities – peaceful demonstrations need police attention, but arresting looters is not currently within their purview.

Such a PR message that sends to the American people about law enforcement! And who is addressing it?

William J. Leffler II

Kennebunkport