Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed addressed his past comments regarding defunding the police during an appearance on CNN's "Inside Politics". In a radio interview referenced by CNN, El-Sayed had previously called for defunding the police following the 2020 George Floyd protests. He stated, "I believe that we do need to defund the police insofar as defunding the police is disinvesting in the means of incarcerating or killing them on the streets," advocating for increased investment in community services to combat systemic poverty and racism.
During the interview, CNN host Manu Raju questioned El-Sayed about his previous claims of not supporting defunding the police. El-Sayed responded by clarifying his position, emphasizing the need for investment in public services rather than military equipment for police departments. He argued that many people prefer to address social issues with trained professionals rather than armed officers, suggesting that mental health professionals should respond to crises instead of police.
El-Sayed also mentioned that he had deleted several tweets criticizing law enforcement prior to his campaign. He reiterated his belief that the focus should be on the type of system desired for public safety, rather than simply framing the discussion as funding or defunding the police.