Taking the mick/mike/michael are variants of "Taking the mickey" which is Cockney Rhyming Slang. In full it is "Taking the Mickey Bliss" rhyming with... taking the piss meaning to poke fun at someone either humorously or aggressively. Sometimes reworded to "extracting the michael"
Are you taking the mick/mickey? (extracting the michael)
Calm down, I'm just taking the mick/mickey.
Relax, he's only taking the mick/mickey.
Sometimes, a really shit human being will do the public service of identifying themselves and voluntarily removing themselves from the situation. This is the trash taking itself out.
After Buffalo police knocked down and left a 77 year old protester bleeding in the street, 2 of them were disciplined, and 57 of the Buffalo police resigned from the task force in protest. It's like the trash taking itself out.