Like most things, empathy is optimal in moderation. Too little is psychopathic. Too much causes instability and delusional folly. At a one-on-one individual level, it is often beneficial to try to understand the other person's mind. At a cultural level, things get complicated. Civilizational seppuku is said to occur when self-loathing people who are ashamed of their society intentionally appease thieves, rapists, and murderers. These people do not like taking accountability, and therefore the empathetic thing to do is to blame society instead of the criminals.
A person who goes out of their way to performatively display empathy is signaling their virtue. They are seeking consensus and want others to conform to the same levels of empathy. This escalation never stops. Be wary of the phrase "settled science" (that is not how science works). "Defund the police" is also a foolish slogan. The loudest empaths typically live luxurious lifestyles and are protected from many consequences. Even more nefarious are governments that employ parasitic taxation to fund runaway bloated welfare states and foreign aid programs.