This Armed Community Organization Protects And Serves The Black Citizens Of Detroit

The sight of these men – dressed in militant-style uniforms and openly carrying large rifles – have made New Era Detroit stand out and drawn comparisons to the Black Panther Party founded in the mid-1960s.
The Black Panthers had a mostly antagonistic relationship with police and authorities like the FBI, involving shootouts, arrests and even assassinations of figures like Fred Hampton.
However, unlike the Black Panthers, New Era Detroit has maintained friendly relationships with authorities.
As Yahoo News reports, Michigan’s open carry gun laws largely allow the types of public displays of firearms that New Era Detroit practices.
A representative for the Detroit Police Department told Yahoo that the police force has “a good relationship with New Era Detroit” and that the organization would often call police in advance to let them know of their presence so that the sight of these armed Black men wouldn’t be mistaken for something else by cops.