Charles Barkley blasts defunding police: ‘Who are Black people supposed to call…Ghostbusters?’

Charles Barkley is blasting the idea that funding be cut off for law enforcement, adding that it would put Black people at greater risk.

Speaking on “NBA on TNT,” the former Auburn University standout turned NBA Hall of Famer addressed recent racial unrest following the indictment of former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison on charges of wanton endangerment in the death of Breonna Taylor. Taylor died March 13 after being shot six times by officers her entered her home during a drug raid.

Barkley dismissed the idea Taylor’s death should be associated with George Floyd, who died while in police custody in Minneapolis, and that of Ahmaud Arbery, a Georgia man who was fatally shot by local residents while jogging.

“It’s bad this young lady lost her life,” Barkley said of Taylor. “But we do have to take into account that her boyfriend did shoot at the cops and shot a cop. Like I say, even though I am really sorry she lost her life, I don’t think we can just say we can put this in the same situation as George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery. I just don’t believe that.”

Barkley also dismissed recent efforts to defund the police.

“You know, I hear these fools on TV talking about ‘defund the police’ and things like that. We need police reform and prison reform and things like that. Because you know, who ain’t gonna defund the cops? White neighborhoods and rich neighborhoods. So that notion they keep saying that – I’m like, wait a minute. Who are Black people supposed to call? Ghostbusters?  We need police reform. Like I say, white people — especially rich white people — they’re always gonna have cops, so we need to stop that ‘defund’ or ‘abolish the cops’ crap,” he said.

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