Last Updated on February 17, 2022
A common talking point among left-wing circles has become the subject of reparations for the black community to redress past historic wrongs. One Black Lives Matter leader took it one step further, branding Sunday Night’s looting in Chicago “reparation[s]” to justify the mob criminality that saw over 100 arrests over the non-fatal shooting of a man who opened fire on police.
“I don’t care if somebody decides to loot a Gucci’s or a Macy’s or a Nike because that makes sure that that person eats. That makes sure that that person has clothes,” Ariel Atkins, a local BLM organizer said at a rally outside the South Loop police station on Monday.
Atkins went onto defend her controversial call to loot as they were “reparation” and many stores are protected by insurance. “That’s a reparation,” Atkins added. “Anything they want to take, take it because these businesses have insurance.”
The BLM organizer then hit out at Rev. Jesse Jackson to criticize his condemnation of the violence to strike the Windy City over the weekend as “humiliating, embarrassing, and morally wrong.” According to The New York Post, she said: “Jesse Jackson was not there for the creation of Black Lives Matter. Jesse Jackson can keep his opinions to himself.”
The disturbances to rock the Illinois materialized after social media posts reportedly encouraged unruly behavior after a 20-year-old man, later identified as Latrell Allen, was shot in the shoulder after opening fire on police. Thirteen officers were injured in clashes, with one officer suffering a broken nose after being hit in the face with a glass bottle.
Atkins’ comments angered many on social media. Several accounts bashed her remarks, deeming them to be harmful to the wider BLM movement.
“Ariel Atkins said the dumbest shit last night. She played right into the hands of what everyone has been saying about the BLM movement. Looting and rioting is NOT a good thing done by anyone and never should be justified because the stores have “insurance” Stupid thing to say!” commented one person.
Ariel Atkins said the dumbest shit last night. She played right into the hands of what everyone has been saying about the BLM movement. Looting and rioting is NOT a good thing done by anyone and never should be justified because the stores have "insurance" Stupid thing to say!
— celia (@CeliaLauer) August 11, 2020
Although several corporations and financial institutions have offered to fork out eye-watering sums of money–equivalent to the total annual GDPs of small impoverished nations–to further the BLM cause, Atkin’s comments failed to resonate with moderates within the movement’s base.
After the BLM protests and riots following George Floyd’s death began to die down, the movement’s leaders strong far-left political bent was revealed when a 2015 interview of one of the founders, Patrisse Cullors, resurfaced. In the interview, Cullors admitted to the leaders’ “Marxist” training.
Other BLM organizers have landed in hot water after making inflammatory remarks such as calling white people “genetic defects” and demanding white people to give up their homes for black people.
