The summer of 2020 can be characterized by a massive, ignominious cultural event: the riots that razed businesses and resulted in dozens of deaths across the country in “honor” of George Floyd following his death in Minneapolis police custody.
It seems the seeds have been planted for a sequel in 2023.
For the unaware, controversy erupted in New York City on Monday after videos began circulating of a mentally disturbed man who allegedly had been harassing and threatening people on the subway being restrained by other passengers.
The chokehold used on him turned out to be fatal.
The man who applied the hold has been identified only as a 24-year-old formerly enlisted Marine, according to WABC-TV.
The victim, meanwhile, has been identified as 30-year-old Jordan Neely, described by the New York Daily News as a “homeless, mentally-ill Michael Jackson impersonator.”
His death is sparking a wave of fury that eerily echoes the sentiments seen during the George Floyd outrage.
That similarity is not lost among some of the most prominent conservative voices on Twitter.
Conservative firebrand Matt Walsh retweeted New York reporter Samantha Max, who posted a video of crowds of protesters gathered at the Broadway-Lafayette Street subway station chanting, “Justice for Jordan Neely.”
“We have our new George Floyd,” Walsh tweeted. “A psychotic violent bum with 40 arrests who assaulted, harassed, and threatened innocent people for years until someone finally had enough of it.
“Now they’ll turn the bum into a martyr because his death is useful to their political agenda.”
We have our new George Floyd. A psychotic violent bum with 40 arrests who assaulted, harassed, and threatened innocent people for years until someone finally had enough of it. Now they’ll turn the bum into a martyr because his death is useful to their political agenda. https://t.co/gRmufGaSYE
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) May 3, 2023
He was referring to reports that Neely had an extensive arrest record.
Per WABC, Neely had been arrested “more than 40 times” for a variety of crimes, including public lewdness and assaulting a senior citizen.
Another prominent conservative on Twitter, Ian Miles Cheong, echoed Walsh’s sentiments while posting a video of protesters gathering in the streets of New York.
“They found their new George Floyd. Criminal record a mile long, gets in an altercation on a train and loses his life,” Cheong tweeted.
“None of this would be happening if policing and prosecutions weren’t so weak,” he said. “Laws are not being upheld and citizens are taking matters into their own hands.”
They found their new George Floyd. Criminal record a mile long, gets in an altercation on a train and loses his life.
None of this would be happening if policing and prosecutions weren’t so weak. Laws are not being upheld and citizens are taking matters into their own hands. pic.twitter.com/8B6Y2PfKmu
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) May 3, 2023
Interestingly, while both Walsh and Cheong saw remnants of the George Floyd protests in the social media videos, the two did glean different information from the protests.
Walsh appeared to be more directly concerned with the way leftists will try and weaponize Neely’s death to justify more destruction and violence.
Cheong, meanwhile, focused on the notion that the tragedy was a direct result of the demonizing of law enforcement officials.
According to the New York Post, Neely’s death was ruled a homicide by the city’s medical examiner.
However, as of early Thursday, no charges have been filed in the case.
The Post said Neely had been in a downward mental spiral since the brutal and untimely murder of his mother in 2007.
