Sep 26, 2020 - Politics & Policy

America on edge as unrest rises

Louisville state police on Wednesday. Photo: Jon Cherry/Getty Images — Louisville on Wednesday. Photo: Jon Cherry/Getty Images

Rarely have national security officials, governors, tech CEOs and activists agreed as broadly and fervently as they do about the possibility of historic civil unrest in America.

Why it matters: The ingredients are clear for all to see — epic fights over racism, abortion, elections, the virus and policing, stirred by misinformation and calls to action on social media, at a time of stress over the pandemic.

Look across America this week:

Portland, Oregon — already suffering from fires and protests — is bracing for a showdown today between right and left wing activists, with "far-right groups from around the country bringing guns, flags, bulletproof vests," the N.Y. Times reports.
President Trump was booed — with chants of "Vote him out!" — as he paid respects to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court steps.
With today's 5 p.m. Supreme Court announcement, Trump will put America on the cusp of a hardened conservative majority.
For the third night in a row, a revived racial-justice movement took to streets across the country to protest the lack of charges against police in the death of Breonna Taylor in Louisville. CNN showed demonstrations from L.A. to Sacramento to Philadelphia to Boston.

The bottom line: Everyone from Facebook to YouTube to the U.S. military is taking precautions for post-election civil unrest exploding.

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America on edge as unrest rises

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