This isn’t even close to a Blackhawk. If it were, the people wouldn’t be standing around below it at that altitude. It’s almost certainly a Lakota, which is a lightweight NG helicopter primarily used for disaster response.
I’ve called in shows of force, this isn’t that.
I’ve called in shows of force, this isn’t that.
BTW, not that it’s particularly necessary to disprove the NYT’s point, but shows of force don’t involve Blackhawks/hovering over a crowd (which would just make you a sitting duck). They involve jets flying by at low altitude or maybe Apaches.
You can debate whether using a helicopter is necessary (and given what we’ve witnessed, I think it’s easily justifiable), but it’s clear that journalists comparing these things to combat zone tactics have never stepped foot in those situations. This is riot control; not war.
