Reckless disregard for public safety, shocking disrespect for law enforcement, and a fundamental misunderstanding – promoted by those ready to incite violence – are all rising. They must stop.
Republics do not survive when the rule of law breaks down. As a former Assistant Secretary of State managing billions in law enforcement and counter-narcotics programs around the world, in countries from Iraq and Afghanistan to this hemisphere, lawlessness ends in civic disintegration.
In the US, we are seeing an unprecedented spike – something not seen in the US – in fatal ambushes and attacks on local, state, and federal law enforcement. The numbers are shocking.
In 2021, 73 officers were intentionally killed. In 2023, 138 officers were shot. In 2025, America saw over 60 officers shot, with the “overall rate of assaults” hitting 79,000 incidents in 2023. This is not normal.
Now, fast forward to 2026, with agitators – paid and unpaid – literally swarming, stalking, doxing, threatening, and attacking ICE and other federal agents in Minnesota, Maine, and other locations.
While these mass agitations, actual and threatened violence, against every level of law enforcement ended tragically in Minneapolis, the incidents span the country.
ICE, CBP, State, and local police continue to track, arrest, detain, and deport some 19 million illegal aliens in the country – millions flooding during Biden’s Open Border. The targets for deportation are aliens with deportation orders, administrative warrants, criminal records here, and in their origin countries.
The wild activism on the other side, sudden declarations of sanctuary – meaning pro-criminal – policies in states like Maine, despite constitutional processes being followed, is dangerous.
Even after seeing violence in Minnesota, which shares with Maine Medicaid fraud tied to minority communities, Maine activists – and national ones imported – are distributing pamphlets saying, “You have the right to protect yourself, ICE has proven that they will kill you …”
Testing the limits of constitutional free speech, which end at specific incitements to violence, leftists in the Democrat Party push the narrative and seem intent on provoking violence. This is utterly reckless; it is the opposite of leadership. Yet Democrat pols persist, either cheer or stay silent.
Predicting the future is impossible, but trends are toward more violence – if leftist leaders in the Democrat Party do not settle down. Summer 2026 could be a flashpoint, as past summers have been.
Perhaps the saddest part is that, by and large, most Americans want criminal aliens out, law enforcement to cooperate, no sanctuary states or cities, and responsible leadership. They are not getting it from the radicals who are presently stirring Minnesota, Maine, and other blue states.
If unaddressed, lawlessness becomes a force unto itself, turmoil rising, as in foreign countries. These incidents could easily expand to chaos parallelling riots in 200 cities in 2021 or the 1960s.
Fundamentally, no republic can survive without law enforcement. Any society that promotes criminal activity, indulges criminals at the expense of citizens, gets more crime. As drug trafficking, violent, and property crime expand, fear rises. The time to stop this is now, through responsible support for federal, state, and local police. Anti-law enforcement incitement is, bluntly, criminal.
Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, Maine attorney, ten-year naval intelligence officer (USNR), and 25-year businessman. He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (North Country Press, 2018), and “Cherish America: Stories of Courage, Character, and Kindness” (Tower Publishing, 2024). He is the National Spokesman for AMAC. Today, he is running to be Maine’s next Governor (please visit BobbyforMaine.com to learn more)!
Lawlessness begins with those in charge. In this case, leftists who intentionally ignore the rule of law are the first that should be arrested, removed and incarcerated. Unfortunately laws have no meaning when these people think they are above them. This will continue to happen. Insurrection is their crime, punishment should be swift and permanent. The Constitutional oath these people took are as good as their word, useless.
RBC, it is a definitely a shame for the rise of disrespect towards all law enforcement officers and even the military when on duty for a city. For those whose cities have suffered from the “defund the police”, crime have risen. It definitely doesn’t help when leftist Democrats in “blue” cities encourage total disrespect for the law and incite protesters to attack personnel, then turn the rhetoric against law enforcement, blaming that the situation was caused by them. It doesn’t help when the innocent is sent to jail while criminals are set free by liberal judges. Fortunately, justice will soon be metered out by the Almighty.
It is unlikely that the chaos of the left will end anytime soon. The spiritual battle between good and evil is evident and Satan has been successful in deceiving so many. “The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.” Proverbs 5:2 …”they are slaves of sin and corruption, for you are a slave to whatever controls you.” 2Peter 2:19.
Ice, as well as all law enforcement deserve to be treated with respect! The Democratic Party and their allies has been destroying the standards of right and wrong in our country for decades! They have destroyed the education system, our judicial system, lowered jail sentences for crimes committed! This is just another way to create chaos in our country to help destroy our true democracy! Law enforcement should have the right to protect our citizens as well as themselves without being held accountable with some of the lies our enemies create to prevent law enforcement from them doing their jobs! But the Democratic Party and their allies are allowing rapist, child molesters, murders to roam free!
Great to read this article as writing like this is one good, positive way to help. Law Enforcement. I have a 4. Inch by 9. Inch sign. on my door that has I Support My Local Police on it. There are many ways to support the police. Legislators need to do their part , should do their part , in this matter . One does not need to be a legislator to help the police fortunately. As with public health for example someone does not need to be a doctor to make a significant contribution to improving public health. Let us all work toward the noble goal of stopping attacks on the police. In the spirit of God Bless America, land of the free and home of the brave. Let Courage be the watchword.
Those calling themselves law makers are encouraging lawlessness, criminal activity and attacks on the officers representing the law. They also are protecting criminals , that is not their sworn duty, are they not accountable for their actions, why are they allowed to get away with the murder, is there no way to hold them responsible , they abuse those who feed them and laugh about it.
People who attack the police or ICE should be striped of their citizenship and deported to a country of their choice and never aloud to return to Anerica!
Everybody who tells people to attack the police or who tells the service wen and women to disobey orders should also be striped of their citizenship and deported, even if they were former military, big deal so was Benedict Arnold!
“Attacks on Police Rising”. That is EXACTLY what the DemoRAT politicians and DemoRAT voters WANT and have been praying to Satan to help it happen. Penalties for attacking ANY law personnel in ANY way should be a MANDATORY TEN YEAR PRISON SENTENCE. Crippling ANY should be a mandatory LIFE sentence. Killing ANY should be a MANDATORY, (CARRIED OUT) DEATH SENTENCE.
Do this and watch future attacks on any law enforcement personnel dwindle to almost zero. AMAZING, but not surprising how that works.
Why are we as a nation tolerating this breaking of the law? When will there be consequences for people’s choices? Both the criminal element in congress, their friend? And the general public?
We Conservatives have left AARP for AMAC. Assuming you live down to your name may I suggest you do the reverse?
That’s kind of humorous Fred Democrat – I try to maintain a sense of humor – about most things . It States under your name that you posted your comment 45 minutes ago. I reckon you may have figured out by this time that this is not democrat territory. You should check how. you are reading your map or how you are reading your compass – because you made a wrong turn somewhere. Unless you are a President John F. Kennedy sort of democrat you will probably be finding out real soon that this is not a place for democrats – Got it ? You know what I mean?
The DemocRat Party is fomenting an insurrection, imo.