Along with the rapid growth of cities in the 1800s came the rise of urban police departments. The role of the police was to protect capitalist property using whatever violence they deemed necessary, especially against the organized labor movement. When the local cops couldn’t handle the job, the National Guard and army could be called in, along with violent, extra-judicial organizations like the Pinkerton Detective Agency and other thug organizations, including the KKK. Thousands of workers were killed and severely injured, and hundreds of thousands beaten and jailed fighting for basic rights. Today, the cops, sheriff’s and other state and federal police agencies function as the violent defenders of a racist system of extreme and growing inequality. Every day they uphold the interests of the banks, corporations and super-rich against the interests of the people. Every day, sheriff’s departments across the country throw tenants out of their homes at the behest of landlords. Never do they do the opposite.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 03:48:09 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015