Mayor Attacked, Kamala Silent [WATCH]

A brutal, unprovoked attack on Marysville officials has raised concerns over California’s lenient crime policies. City Councilman Dom Belza, Mayor Chris Branscum, and their team were reviewing fire damage to a historic building on August 22 when they were attacked by a homeless man, as reported by Fox News.

The suspect, 36-year-old Derek Hopkins, allegedly struck Branscum in the back without any warning. “There was no altercation, nothing. It was a random act of violence,” Belza told Fox News Digital.

Mayor Branscum, still reeling from the incident, said he initially thought he’d been hit by a car due to the force of the punch. “I was hit so hard. The next thing I know, there’s this guy sliding by me, running, and I yelled an expletive at him,” he recalled.

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Hopkins fled the scene, but Belza quickly pursued him. “Instinct kicked in, and I ran after the attacker,” Belza explained. Halfway down the block, Hopkins turned and swung at Belza, landing a punch on the councilman’s head. Despite this, Belza tackled and restrained the suspect until the police arrived.

Last night the mayor of Marysville, California was attacked by a homeless guy

Is there any public official that hasn’t been attacked in Newsom’s lawless California? pic.twitter.com/rAYLKAVtpO

— Sacramento Insider (@sacinsidr) August 24, 2024

Hopkins now faces eight charges, including felony assault of a public official and felony elder abuse, with bail set at $50,000.

Belza didn’t hold back when discussing the larger issue at play: California’s lenient crime policies.

He pointed to Proposition 47, a 2014 law signed under then-Attorney General Kamala Harris, which reclassified certain felonies as misdemeanors, including theft under $950 and drug possession.

“Prop 47 is the cornerstone of this soft-on-crime approach,” Belza said, adding that crime has soared in California since its enactment. He warned that if Harris, now the Vice President, runs for president, the country could face the same crime issues California has endured for the past decade.

Belza also criticized the state’s claim that violent crime is on the decline. He argued that changes in how crime is reported make it appear that crime is decreasing, but the reality is quite the opposite.

“When you report it differently, it’s not necessarily that crime is going down,” Belza explained, saying that felonies are now being reported as misdemeanors, and misdemeanors as infractions. “People don’t feel safe, and that’s the real issue.”

To address the rising crime in his community, Belza formed a coalition called Free California. The group aims to work with state legislators to reverse the damage caused by Prop 47 and reinstate serious consequences for repeat offenders. “We have a responsibility to make this a safe state again,” he emphasized, urging citizens to step up and demand change.