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Phoenix Is Policing Super Bowl Speech, but Not Violent Crime

February 6, 2023

It’s a tale of two cities in downtown Phoenix, set to play host to the national media and all the associated fanfare in the lead-up to Super Bowl LVII.

Or rather, it’s a tale of where one city government’s priorities lie, brought to light by two lawsuits challenging the city’s willingness to trample on its residents’ rights. Government officials can’t be bothered to police violent crime in one of the nation’s largest homeless encampments. But they have more than enough time and resources to police their own citizens’ free speech ahead of the Super Bowl.

In a massive swath of downtown Phoenix known as “The Zone,” where more than 1,000 homeless people have set up camp, the crisis is spiraling out of control as lawlessness, violence, and death become regular occurrences. And that’s to say nothing of the used condoms, needles, and human waste littering the streets. Just how bad is it? Last November, the burned remains of a 20-to-24-week old fetus were found in the street. Less than three weeks later, first responders put out another fire—only to discover adult remains.

Read the rest of the op-ed at Townhall.

Joe Setyon is the Communications Manager at the Goldwater Institute.

 

 

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