As we’ve already seen, rioters in Minnesota, Chicago and Atlanta have been brazen enough in recent nights to vandalize police cars and even burn down a police station. But in typical fashion, the hoodlums in New York City are never to be outdone. Rather than simply yelling at the NYPD or smashing their windows, at least one woman decided to take things to the next level on Friday night. She and her friends threw four Molotov cocktails at the police, including tossing one into a clearly marked (and occupied) NYPD van. Thankfully, the bomb didn’t explode, but the rest caused serious injuries and set off yet another blaze in the process. Unlike other “protesters” who launch cowardly attacks and flee into the night, the cops brought this woman down quickly. (NY Post)

Raging George Floyd protesters with “an agenda of violence” targeted New York’s Finest overnight in Brooklyn with Molotov cocktails, bricks and brass knuckles, according to NYPD Police Commissioner Dermot Shea, who said Saturday that “countless” cops were injured when the demonstrations devolved into chaos.

At least one person was arrested for attempted murder of four cops after throwing a Molotov cocktail into a marked police van, Shea said.

A sergeant was punched in the head with brass knuckles.

And another cop got his teeth knocked out, a still shaken Shea said at a joint press conference with Mayor de Blasio in City Hall.

As one would hope, the NYPD wasn’t going to take this lying down. Prosecutors quickly moved to charge Samantha Shader, 27, with four counts of attempted murder, along with other crimes. There doesn’t seem to be any question as to her guilt, either. Oh, and just for good measure, she bit one of the cops while they were arresting her.

A woman was charged with the attempted murder of NYPD cops after allegedly hurling a Molotov cocktail into a marked, occupied police van in Brooklyn, authorities said.

The device did not ignite, and all of the officers got out of the van safely, police said.

Samantha Shader, 27, of Catskill, NY, tossed the incendiary device through a rear window of the van at the corner of Eastern Parkway and Washington Avenue around 10:40 p.m., police said.

Shader then allegedly bit an officer on the leg as she was taken into custody, police said.

Within 24 hours we learned that Shader had also drawn a federal charge in relation to the attack. Curiously, the feds chose to hit her with a single count of Causing Damage by Fire and Explosives to a Police Vehicle. That seems a bit on the milquetoast side for someone already facing four counts of attempting to murder uniformed police officers in the line of duty. The NYPD had been pressing for federal murder charges as well, but apparently those will be handled at the state level.

I seriously hope that we don’t hear any more pandering from elected officials talking about the “understandable anger and frustration among the protesters” when discussing this incident. The same goes for people sucker-punching the police with brass knuckles, but the firebombing is obviously the most egregious offense. This person and all the rest like her need to be tossed into a cell and have the key thrown away. It’s not a question of “protesting” or even engaging in violence. When you attack the police in the performance of their duties, you are attacking the basic fabric of our society and embracing anarchy.

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s efforts to put a leash on the NYPD over the years need to come to an end right now, at least temporarily. These rioters have declared war on the police and entered the field of combat. And as we all know, bad things happen in war. Anyone using bombs or weapons of any sort in attacks on the police should be met with bullets in return. And then the city should dare the families to try to sue them.

What happened to George Floyd was disgraceful, assuming no mitigating details emerge during the investigation. (I can’t imagine a single such thing, however, but everyone gets a chance to defend themselves at trial.) The responsible officers need to be held accountable in court, assuming they are found guilty, to demonstrate to the entire country that no one is above the law. But even with all of that in mind, rioting is never acceptable either. And attempts to murder police officers must be dealt with swiftly and harshly.