I can’t predict when it will end. Or how.

Only one arrest reported, and most violence reported has come from the cops (mostly CHP) using pepper spray, teargas, and flashbangs. Protesters have returned fire with water bottles, which strikes me as strangely compassionate toward cops that have been standing in the sun all day in black uniforms. In contrast, the last few major demonstrations have involved rightwing extremists, aggressive and violent, and lots of arrests (32 at one).

Sacramento’s a political town, strongly liberal, and people know how to protest, how to walk the fine line. The cops generally seem to know the score, and I suspect they see their role as necessary targets for rage about police brutality in another city. Not that Sacramento’s hands are clean in that regard, but our protests, at least, tend to be nonviolent.

More if the protests continue into the night.

Now there ARE vandals and looters that take advantage of the unrest and chaos to cause trouble and steal. No one denies that. But they are not sinister organized political provocateurs as the authorities would have us believe. They are just plain, common, ordinary, all-American thugs. They aren’t fomenting revolution, they’re just stealing merchandise.

The National Guard has been released in Minneapolis to do the job that the Democrat Mayor couldn’t do. Should have been used 2 days ago & there would not have been damage & Police Headquarters would not have been taken over & ruined. Great job by the National Guard. No games!

My own county, Broward, just N of Miami-Dade, seems to be pretty quiet, although they have put on a curfew effective at 2300.

Good night from your S Fla reporter…