JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Northeast Florida leaders are pointing out a contrast in how law enforcement handled riots at our nation's Capitol and Black Lives Matter protests.
"What we saw yesterday was anarchy in action. Law enforcement in D.C. allowed a violent, armed, white mob, a self-appointed group of white insurrectionists, anarchists and rebels, to march around inside the Capitol," says Ben Frazier, president and founder of the Northside Coalition of Jacksonville, an advocacy and civil rights organization.
Frazier points to what he calls major differences in police response at the Capitol verses Black Lives Matter marches.
"Most of the BLM events were peaceful events met with massive police presence and officers dressed in riot gear," Frazier says. "By comparison, the white mob at the Capitol faced comparably little resistance from the police."
Republican Georgia Congressman Buddy Carter believes destruction of property isn't right on either side.
"We do need to look at social injustice in this country," Carter says. "It does need to be addressed, but you can't associate it with the destruction and the rioting that went on in these major metropolitan areas this summer."
Frazier says the protests can give us some perspective on where we are and where we need to go from here.
"Hatred must end in this country, so surely while Black lives matter, I suggest to you today what the world needs today is love," Frazier says.