This is a great example of sane-washing: another mini-thread.

The original activists do absolutely, literally want to abolish the police. There should not be police. Dead simple policy goal.

Vox: It's an idea! A narrative! It's a rallying cry, not just a simple policy goal.

Mainstream progressives feel the need to support it, because they're not Team Good Guys if they don't.

The Vox piece above basically outright says "I don't understand policy, but my social circle approves so I do too!", before Voxsplaining how it's just a narrative/idea.

Leftists: Simple statement, it's literal.

Vox: They don't actually want to get rid of all police! The issue is that liberals are talking this literally when they shouldn't! It's just a statement for sweeping change!

The progressive media (here Vox) creates a problem by spreading very unpopular slogans from niche twitter to mainstream discourse.

Of course, normal people don't read Vox essays so they often interpret the slogan the way the leftists intended: literally. And then hate the idea.