Mike Bloomberg apologizes for defending controversial ‘stop-and-frisk’ policy

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg launched his “Mike for Black America” campaign during his stop in Houston on Thursday and apologized for defending the controversial “stop-and-frisk” policing tactic.

He made his way back to the Bayou City with a special announcement from Mayor Sylvester Turner.

Turner recently endorsed Bloomberg for president.

Sylvester Turner
✔
@SylvesterTurner
As Mayor, I know that cities are ultimately made up of two things – people and places. We need a president who knows how cities run and who will help create economic opportunity for all.

I am proud to announce my endorsement of @MikeBloomberg for President of the United States.

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He has praised Bloomberg’s infrastructure vision that confronts challenges across the country and in Houston.

During Bloomberg’s stop, he visited the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum. He apologized to Houstonians and vowed to move past newly resurfaced years-old comments in which he defended the controversial “stop-and-frisk” policing tactic that has been found to disproportionately affect minorities.

“There is one aspect approach that I deeply regret: the abuse of a police practice called ‘stop-and-frisk,'” said Bloomberg. “I defended it, looking back, for too long, because I didn’t understand then the unintended pain it was causing to young black and brown families and their kids.”

WATCH THE FULL SPEECH BELOW:

The former New York mayor’s national campaign focuses on key issues impacting black Americans.

The former New York mayor spoke at the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s Future of Black America Symposium earlier this month.

“I’m running for office to make sure every student in every neighborhood has the same opportunities that I did,” Bloomberg said. “Because the truth is, if I had been black, I wouldn’t have had the same opportunities and my life would have turned out very differently.”