1) It's illegal at every government level from city, county, state, and federal. For police officers to be forced to just stand around and watch it happen is sickening. People should be arrested and experience some form of penalty according to the law. They're trespassing. They're destroying public property and in the case of some statues, federal property which is even worse.
2) If a statue shouldn't be standing then those interested in having it removed should go through proper channels. Another statue might be chosen by a committee or they might decide to do something else with the space but one thing is for sure, the ones tearing down the statues now aren't intellectually advanced. They don't know their history so they're the last ones who should choose what stays and what goes. Although I'm beginning to think it has less to do about who they're tearing down and more to do about them wanting to feel like they have the power to do it.
3) They want mob rule of this there's absolutely no doubt. They attempted to acquire it in DC yesterday but were shut down by the police. They wanted a situation of territory control like what's happening in Seattle. In this case they had already named the new territory, The Black House. We cannot let this continue. It's time to play hardball. Let the cameras catch police officers and maybe the National Guard using force to combat force. It doesn't matter at this point if the general public sees some tough policing because most are ready for it and those that don't want it don't want to have police in the first place so they're nuts.
4) I don't understand why we don't use undercover officers at these aggressive events. Dropping them off with the look of a fellow protestor/rioter and using a video camera to record the people breaking the law. Getting some up close and personal shots to try and see behind the masks. Have conversations with people to see if some insight can be gained as to how the operation is supported (i.e. food and water, supplies (i.e. bricks, custom made facemasks, hats, and t-shirts, etc.). How were the crowds assembled; basically how did word get out to join the protest and what were they told to expect? A peaceful protest or get ready to fight? I believe there's a lot we can learn by getting undercover officers who fit the demographics of the crowd, on the inside. Coddling these young power hungry kids isn't working. There comes a time where you have to put political correctness aside and just kick some ass. The public relations hit for going "authoritarian," is miniscule compared to the damage these people are causing now in destabilizing our country.