Democrats have tried to conceal the fact that they despise the idea of private citizens defending themselves and their property. It is why they cloak their anti-gun rhetoric under faux concerns about gun violence. However, a far-leftist authoritarian in California basically admitted it out loud.
San Francisco supervisor Dean Preston, a Democratic Socialist, announced that he was going to introduce legislation prohibiting security guards from using guns to protect property. Preston took to Twitter to make the announcement, stating that he believes human life should take precedence over protecting property.
“Today at the board of supervisors, I will be calling for legislation to specifically prohibit security guards from drawing their weapons to protect property,” he said in the video, adding, “Human life is more important than property. We need to change our local law so that security guards cannot unholster their weapons just to protect property.”
Today, I’m announcing legislation to limit use of guns by security guards. We must amend local law to prohibit guards from drawing weapons just to protect property. Human life is more important than property. pic.twitter.com/A3KsOp8yTd
— Dean Preston (@DeanPreston) May 9, 2023
His call for change comes in response to an incident on April 27, where a Walgreens guard allegedly shot and killed Banko Brown, an alleged shoplifter. The initial decision by District Attorney Brooke Jenkins not to charge the guard was based on the belief that he had acted in self-defense. However, the district attorney has now expressed her ongoing consideration of charges in the case, indicating a potential shift in the legal perspective surrounding the incident.
This development comes as businesses in San Francisco are increasingly being hammered by criminals stealing their products, knowing the authorities will not punish them for doing so. “Just in San Francisco, police records show close to 2,900 shopliftings were reported in 2022, way up from 2020, when shopliftings actually decreased by 34 percent, when the COVID pandemic began and many businesses shut down,” according to reports.
The wave of thefts has caused many businesses to suffer as bad actors repeatedly vandalize and steal from them. San Francisco’s downtown is facing significant challenges in its recovery from the pandemic, with the closure of Nordstrom looming as a major blow. Researchers at the University of Toronto’s School of Cities analyzed data showing that downtown activity is currently only at 32 percent of pre-pandemic levels.
City leaders have cited crime as one of the factors contributing to the retail exodus, according to a report. The recent incident involving a Walgreens security guard fatally shooting a suspected shoplifter has further raised concerns. While some U.S. cities have seen a return to pre-pandemic downtown activity levels, San Francisco, along with cities like St. Louis and Portland, is still struggling to attract foot traffic.
The use of anonymized mobile device connectivity data provides insights into the decline in downtown activity. San Francisco is exploring various initiatives to revitalize its downtown neighborhoods, including office-to-residential building conversions, although challenges exist due to the design and suitability of existing office buildings.
Preston’s proposal to limit the ability of security guards to use guns for property protection is absolutely absurd and shows a blatant lack of concern for the safety and security of businesses and individuals. Nobody wants to see people get killed.
But it is equally crucial to recognize the value of protecting property, which plays a significant role in people’s livelihoods and economic stability. Moreover, since the city’s government is not interested in doing anything to stop these criminals from raiding these stores, law-abiding folks had to hire private security to address the issue.
Restricting security guards’ access to firearms puts them at a disadvantage when dealing with potentially dangerous situations, making it harder for them to fulfill their duties effectively. By disarming security guards, Preston’s legislation would leave businesses vulnerable to theft, vandalism, and other criminal activities, ultimately leading to a decline in public safety.
But authoritarians like Preston remain unconcerned about the plight of businesses dealing with the revenue loss brought about by folks who know they do not have to fear accountability if they steal from others. When government officials protect criminals instead of the rights of the citizenry, these situations become more commonplace. Indeed, if Banko had been arrested and convicted previously, there might be a chance that she would not have repeated the act that got her killed in the first place. Unfortunately, this is what happens when you have hard leftists in charge of a city.
Related:
Despite What Leftists Claim, Property Absolutely Is Worth Getting Deadly Over
