Opposing the Militarization of Police in Urban Areas

An impassioned plea for police not to escalate the violent and angry scenes that have punctuated the peaceful protests of the past week, as desired by key figures in the Trump administration as well as the president himself.

2 minute read

June 4, 2020, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Los Angeles Protest

The National Guard takes position on the streets of Los Angeles on June 2, 2020. | Hayk_Shalunts / Shutterstock

Dallas Morning News Architecture Critic Mark Lamster wrestles with a task facing community leaders in cities all over the world: how to reckon with a past and present defined by institutional racism while protecting people and property.

In an experience mirrored in cities all over the country over the past two weeks, day time hours in Dallas in the past week have been marked by peaceful protest and even a few joyful celebrations of events like graduations and businesses reopening while the night time has been filled filled with violent clashes between police and protestors and destructive acts like arson and looting. 

Lamster doesn't generalize about the motivations of protestors, or conflate the righteous indignation of protesters under the same banners as the people who have been indiscriminately looting and destroying property. But he does call for the de-escalation of the conflict, and for a few fundamental characteristics of democracy and peace to be restored:

I refuse to accept violence and destruction against persons and property. I refuse to accept the militarization of public space. I refuse to accept the characterization of the city, in the words of Defense Secretary Mark Esper, as a “battle space.” I refuse to accept the idea that our city and state leaders must “dominate” our streets with military force, as President Donald Trump demanded in a phone call with governors and other officials.

Lamster expresses sympathy for some of the people who have been manifesting anger with the destruction of private and public property—that destruction representing "a tragic breakdown of the American social compact." But the main purpose of the missive is to draw a line—several lines really—in the sand for police and protestors, as more facts and details about how and why these protests have turned violent are revealed.

Tuesday, June 2, 2020 in The Dallas Morning News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Metrorail train pulling into newly opened subterranean station in Washington, D.C. with crowd on platform taking photos.

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”

The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

June 2, 2025 - The Hill

Large crowd on street in San Francisco, California during Oktoberfest festival.

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns

In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

June 2, 2025 - Robbie Silver

Bike lane in Washington D.C. protected by low concrete barriers.

DC Backpedals on Bike Lane Protection, Swaps Barriers for Paint

Citing aesthetic concerns, the city is removing the concrete barriers and flexposts that once separated Arizona Avenue cyclists from motor vehicles.

45 minutes ago - The Washington Post

Bird's eye view of studio apartment design.

In These Cities, Most New Housing is Under 441 Square Feet

With loosened restrictions on “micro-housing,” tiny units now make up as much as 66% of newly constructed housing.

2 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Man in teal shirt opening door to white microtransit shuttle with cactus graphics and making inviting gesture toward the camera.

Albuquerque’s Microtransit: A Planner’s Answer to Food Access Gaps

New microtransit vans in Albuquerque aim to close food access gaps by linking low-income areas to grocery stores, cutting travel times by 30 percent and offering planners a scalable model for equity-focused transit.

June 13 - U.S. Department Of Transportation