This is a huge problem I’ve noticed at BLM protests. White ppl expressing outsized rage (which really doesn’t make sense...their job is to be the allies not to be the angry ones) & POCs tasked with reigning them in.
At many protests I’ve attended, white people are the ones shouting things like “fuck the police” while POCs are the ones trying to get more positive messages out and gaining traction, eg: chanting “This is what community looks like”
I’ve also seen white people interfere in conversations between POCs, as the cop in the video described, when that is just not their place to do.
Sure, a Black cop might be a cop. But he’s also a Black man. There’s no reason for a white person to interfere w/ POCs trying to talk to him unless they’re in danger. Such behavior is flagship white savior complex.
I’ve also seen white liberals engage in overtly racist behavior toward POCs on the “wrong” side of the BLM conversation, playing POCs off each other or using racialized language to silence a POC. Racism is racism. Using racism to silence a “bad” POC is still racism and never okay
All of this points to white people needing some serious training in how to be better allies
