(TotalConservative.com) – An Austin, Texas intersection looked more like the scene out of a Fast and Furious sequel than it did a major metropolitan center on Saturday night, February 18th. Street racers dominated an area where South Lamar Blvd and Barton Spring Road intersect, with many setting off fireworks and drifting around the intersection in circles.
Police were unable to contain the throngs of people due to being understaffed and ill-equipped to handle the mayhem. One officer was injured, and many cop cars sustained damage as officers attempted to shut down the chaos.
One city council member, Alison Alter was on hold with 911 for 28 minutes before someone was able to answer her call. The city has been experiencing severe delays in 911 response times due to staffing shortages at its call center, with an average delay of about 2.5 minutes as of October of last year. If this story is any indication, things have gotten worse since then.
As recently as August 2020, the Austin City Council voted to defund their local police force to the tune of $150 million, almost a third of their budget at the time. Then-mayor and city council member Steve Adler was a big driver of the defund agenda, which was supported by major activist networks, including the Austin Justice Coalition. Their funding was later restored by a state law that passed in 2021, but at that point it was too late, with many officers moving on, retiring, cadet classes canceled, and specialized units being disbanded or reduced.
Officers were demoralized by George Soros-funded District Attorney Jose Garza prosecuting 19 officers who helped quell the 2020 riots. The city paid millions to rioters who were hit by beanbag rounds and suffered injuries as a consequence. The city is now suffering the impact of its left-leaning leadership, a pattern repeated in many of America’s most left-leaning cities. Must Austin descend into complete chaos before voters wake up and smell the residue from fireworks and burnt rubber?
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