NYC First Lady asks citizens to ‘physically intervene’ in violent crime after city defunded police
americanmilitarynews.com | March 8, 2021 | Liz George

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s wife asked citizens on Saturday to “physically intervene” if they see a violent crime occurring, less than a year after pushing de Blasio to “defund the police,” and remarking that a world without police would be “utopia.”

“As attacks on Asian American communities continue, we’re asking New Yorkers to show up for their neighbors and intervene when witnessing hateful violence or harassment. I know that can be frightening when you aren’t sure what to do or say, but you can learn,” New York City’s First Lady Chirlane McCray tweeted Saturday.

She continued, “Fear is a normal feeling when stepping into a confrontation, but being prepared can help. I’ll share [Hollaback]’s 5 D’s, which are easy to remember tactics that we can all use to de-escalate a situation. D is for Distract, Delegate, Document, Delay, and Direct.”

McCray expanded on the “5 D’s”, recommending people interrupt a “hate crime or incident” by engaging with the victim using a question like, “What time is it?”

She also suggested responding “directly to the aggressor or physically intervene” after assessing the situation.

“Be confident, assertive, calm. This is risky, but sometimes all we can do is speak up,” she tweeted. “If the harasser responds, try your best to focus on assisting the person targeted.”