Saying New York City has a long history of "peaceful protests," Mayor Bill de Blasio called the heavy law enforcement response in Ferguson, Mo. "troubling" and that he could not picture a similar situation taking place here, reported the Daily News. The mayor said, it bothered him to see journalists arrested who were covering the protests in Ferguson and the "intense show of force" by the town's police. But he also said, he can't envision a similar response by protestors or police in New York City, because "we have a very different reality here."
"For decades and decades we have had the tradition in this city of respecting and properly managing peaceful protests, and the right of people to express themselves," the mayor said.
What are your thoughts? Is the mayor correct?
Do you think protests in New York City could ever move "beyond peaceful?" Furthermore, do you believe it is unlikely police would ever use an intense show of force similar to what has been shown in Ferguson?
