George Floyd

The Network In Defense Of Humanity Demands Justice For George Floyd

June 10, 2020 The Network in Defense of Humanity Resist! George Floyd, Police Killing, Racism, Rebellion2020

The Network in Defense of Humanity adds its voice to those of thousands in the United States and around the world who are demanding Justice for George Floyd. The image of a man of African descent being killed by a racist policeman is very common in the United States. In fact, the police murder about a thousand people annually; a disproportionate number of them are Black. George Floyd’s murder was no different, but it has been on an exponential level since the scene of his death by torture was documented in detail as he told the white policeman “I can’t breathe”–first he appealed to his torturer, then to others to listen to him, and for the eleventh time, as his life was being extinguished, he pleaded to his dead mother. An indelible image was immediately etched into the consciousness of a world in turmoil under a pandemic that exploded onto the streets of 140 U.S. cities.

The Murder Of George Floyd Is Normal In An Abnormal Society

June 4, 2020 By Vijay Prashad, Globetrotter, a project of the Independent Media Institute. Educate! Black Lives Matter (BLM), George Floyd, killed by police, Police abuse

The recent murder of George Floyd in the US is sadly unsurprising in a country that upholds capitalist exploitation through white supremacy There is no need to wonder why George Floyd (age 46) was murdered in broad daylight in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25, 2020. The script of his death is written deep in the ugly drama of US history. As you read this, somewhere in the United States, another person will be killed—another poor person whom the police deem to be a threat. Tomorrow another will be killed; and then another. These deaths are normal for the system. Outrage against this system is a logical, and moral, response.

As Protests Rage Over George Floyd’s Death, Climate Activists Embrace Racial Justice

June 4, 2020 Ilana Cohen, Evelyn Nieves, Judy Fahys, Marianne LaVelle, James Bruggers, Inside Climate News. Strategize! Environmental Movement, George Floyd, Police abuse, Racism

Friends of the Earth tweeted #BlackLivesMatter, and the head of the NRDC promised: “to be fully and visibly committed to the fight against systemic racism.” When New York Communities for Change helped lead a demonstration of 500 on Monday in Brooklyn to protest George Floyd's killing in Minneapolis, the grassroots group's activism spoke to a long-standing link between police violence against African Americans and environmental justice. Elizabeth Yeampierre, executive director of UPROSE, Brooklyn's oldest Latino community-based organization, said she considers showing up to fight police brutality and racial violence integral to her climate change activism. These community organizations in New York have been joined in protest by the nation's most prominent climate change activist groups, including the Sierra Club, 350.org, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Sunrise Movement and Extinction Rebellion.

Minnesota Cops Trained By Israeli Police, Who Often Use Knee-On-Neck Restraint

June 4, 2020 Alison Weir, Israeli-Palestinian News. Educate! George Floyd, Israel, Lethal force, Police abuse

Officers from the US police force responsible for the killing of George Floyd received training in restraint techniques and anti-terror tactics from Israeli law-enforcement officers. At least 100 Minnesota police officers attended a 2012 conference hosted by the Israeli consulate in Chicago, the second time such an event had been held. There they learned the violent techniques used by Israeli forces as they terrorize the occupied Palestinian territories under the guise of security operations. The so-called counterterrorism training conference in Minneapolis was jointly hosted by the FBI. The training of US police officials by Israeli forces is widespread. Even Amnesty was compelled to report that hundreds of police from Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Arizona, Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Georgia, Washington state, and Washington DC had been flown to Israeli for training. Thousands more have been trained by Israeli forces who have come to the US to host similar events to the one held in Minneapolis. According to the somewhat selective rights organization, many of these trips are taxpayer-funded, while others are privately funded. Since 2002 the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee’s Project Interchange and the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs have paid for police chiefs, assistant chiefs, and captains to train in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories

What Will It Take To Stop The Police From Killing?

June 3, 2020 The Collective, Anarchist News. Create! George Floyd, killed by police, Police violence

We’ve reached a breaking point. The murders of George Floyd—and Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and the other Black people whose lives were ended by police just this month—are only the latest in a centuries-long string of tragedies. But in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the state is openly treating Black communities as a surplus population to be culled by the virus, the arrogance and senselessness of the murder carried out by Officer Derek Chauvin crossed a line. Supported by hundreds of thousands across the US and beyond, the people of Minneapolis have made it clear that this intolerable situation must end, no matter what it takes.

ACLU Demands Congressional Probe Into ‘Politically-Motivated’ Attack On Peaceful Protest

June 3, 2020 By Jon Queally, Commondreams. Resist! George Floyd, militarism, Police abuse, State Violence

Jamil Dakwar, director of the ACLU's Human Rights Project, denounced both the nature and the timing of the assault on the unsuspecting demonstrators, given that it happened just as Trump delivered a speech from the Rose Garden in which he threatened tougher police tactics—including use of U.S. military forces—to quell protests in cities nationwide. "This appears to be grossly unjustified use of a dangerous chemical weapon on protesters and raises serious human rights concerns under international law," Dakwar said of what transpired in Lafayette Square. "Health experts warned that the use of tear gas can have long-term effects on respiratory function. Elected officials, including Congress, must investigate this politically-motivated and life-threatening use of indiscriminate weapons."

Responding To Protests, Green Groups Reckon With A Racist Past

June 3, 2020 By Shannon Osaka, Grist. Strategize! Big Greens, Environmental racism, George Floyd, Racism

Already stressed by the threat of coronavirus and widespread unemployment, the United States has erupted into protests after the killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, by a Minneapolis police officer. Now, prominent groups in the environmental movement — which has long struggled with a dark, racist past — are speaking out against institutional prejudice and calling for the movement to better prioritize social justice. “For too long conservation and environmental movements have not spoken up to address the long-standing challenges that non-white communities face,” Fred Krupp, the president of the Environmental Defense Fund, said in a statement. “Environmental organizations should work to bring down the barriers that affect Black, people of color, and Indigenous communities.” The League of Conservation Voters, Earthjustice, 350.org, and the Sierra Club also issued statements.

Pentagon Ready To Send Troops To Minneapolis If State Asks

June 3, 2020 James LaPorta and Robert Burns, Associated Press. Educate! George Floyd, militarism, Rebellion2020, State Violence

The Pentagon said Saturday it was ready to provide military help to authorities scrambling to contain unrest in Minneapolis, where George Floyd’s death has sparked widespread protests, but Gov. Tim Walz has not requested federal troops. Jonathan Rath Hoffman, the chief Pentagon spokesman, said several military units have been placed on higher alert “as a prudent planning measure” in case Walz asks for help. The Associated Press first reported on the potential deployments and, citing sources with direct knowledge of the orders, named four locations from which soldiers would be drawn. Hoffman did not identify the units, but other officials said they are mainly military police. Hoffman said these are units normally on 48-hour recall to support state authorities in the event of crises like natural disasters. They are now on four-hour alert, Hoffman said.

It’s A Class War Now Too

June 3, 2020 Joshua Frank, Counterpunch Educate! Anti-capitalism, Class war, George Floyd

The looting of stores is inherently a class issue, whether you look upon it favorably or not (there are always exceptions of course). The act of looting is a long-standing American tradition, dating back to the theft of Native lands and African enslavement. And today, while wealthy people don’t loot strip malls, they are adept at looting natural resources and labor, from the coalfields of West Virginia to Jeff Bezo’s Amazon warehouses. The poor, exerting their nominal power—even in a destructive and violent manner—display an entirely natural reaction to a continually powerless state of being. For them, looting is a cry for help, an expression of hopelessness. Economic and racial oppression in America has finally reached a boiling point. Systemic change will take a systemic realignment of the economic and political structure in the United States.

Majority Of Americans Support Uprisings, Disagree With Trump

June 3, 2020 Chris Walker, Truthout. Educate! George Floyd, Minneapolis, National Consensus, Police violence

As President Donald Trump threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act to use aspects of the U.S. military against Americans involved in the demonstrations in response to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week, polling so far shows that most people are not happy with how he has handled the situation. Indeed, the data demonstrates that a majority of Americans appear to be in support of the protests in general. A Morning Consult poll conducted on May 31 and June 1 — several days after demonstrations began in protest over Floyd’s killing at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer who held a knee to Floyd’s neck for nearly 9 minutes — finds that 54 percent of Americans either strongly support or somewhat support the protests that are going on. Conversely, just 22 percent say they somewhat oppose or strongly oppose the demonstrations.

Extremists Are Among Those Fomenting Violence In Twin Cities

June 2, 2020 By Jon Collins and Elizabeth Shockman, MPR News. Educate! George Floyd, Property destruction, Protests, Right-Wing

Protesters and onlookers have posted numerous videos and accounts of confrontations with white men on social media, sometimes including symbols associated with fringe groups that originated online. Many people have also told MPR News reporters of witnessing armed men in Minneapolis. Bridget Schumann was out for a run near Calhoun Square in south Minneapolis on Friday night when she saw a truck that was being driven aggressively, honking and intimidating other drivers. The truck had a big white sticker on the back of the cab with the OK sign symbol associated with white supremacists. “There were two men in the driver and passenger seat and they were wearing camo bulletproof vests and they were armed,” she said. Schumann watched them get out of the truck and walk around in an apartment building parking garage like they were looking for something.

Protests, Riots, And Clashes Grow

June 2, 2020 It's Going Down. Resist! Excessive Force, George Floyd, Mass Movement, Rebellion2020

The country-wide rebellion that was kicked off by the police murder of George Floyd continues to grow, as across the US people hit the streets in solidarity. Mass demonstrations, freeway shut-downs, riots, looting, and clashes with law enforcement were widespread; as authorities rushed to call in the national guard. In many cities, large scale demonstrations that remained peaceful were also held. What follows is a brief overview of the extensive resistance that was seen on Saturday, May 30th, for some cities, the second and third day of hitting the streets. Military buildup in Minneapolis also continued, as did reports of police attacking the press, while the Republicans played up fears of “ANTIFA” in order to justify repression and attempt to split the protesters along racial lines.

George Floyd Protests: Police Escalating Violence Across The US

June 1, 2020 By Alan Macleod, Mintpress News. Resist! George Floyd, Media, Police abuse, State Violence

While some in media have condemned the protests as violent “looters” imposing “tyranny” upon the country, much of the violence is being deliberately instigated and propagated by an out of control police force that appears to have gone berserk over the widespread public challenge to their authority and their impunity to act as they wish. Six days after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin killed George Floyd, asphyxiating him by keeping his knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes, America is still burning with outrage. Violent clashes have broken out across the nation as the killing has proven to be a catalyst for protests against a racist justice system.

The Blue Plague And Black Death

May 31, 2020 Glen Ford, Black Agenda Report. Educate! George Floyd, Minneapolis, Police, State Violence

The pathogen that kills Black people at two and a half times the rate of whites took the life of 46 year-old George Floyd, this week in Minneapolis. Floyd’s last words were, “I can’t breathe,” much like the desperate utterances of plague victim Eric Garner, struck down in 2014 in New York City. Unlike the still raging Covid-19 virus, which is virulent among Blacks of both sexes, the Blue Plague is especially lethal to Black males of all ages. According to researchers at Rutgers University and the University of Michigan, 1 in every 1,000 black boys and me will be fatally stricken by the Blue Plague at some point in their lifetimes – at ages ranging from 12 year-old Tamir Rice, snuffed out in Cleveland in 2014, to 50 year-old Walter Scott, who fell victim to the pestilence in North Charleston, South Carolina in 2015.

The US Military Is Monitoring Protests In 7 States

May 31, 2020 Ken Klippenstein, The Nation. Educate! George Floyd, Minneapolis, National Guard, State Violence

In addition to Minnesota, where a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd, the military is tracking uprisings in New York, Ohio, Colorado, Arizona, Tennessee, and Kentucky, according to a Defense Department situation report. Notably, only Minnesota has requested National Guard support. The documents were originally stored on an unclassified server but were subsequently “elevated” to a classified system. While the documents reveal significant National Guard force capabilities in each of the seven states, one Minnesota Guard member expressed concerns about the troops’ lack of training in responding to civil unrest. One document pertaining to the Minnesota National Guard, marked “For Official Use Only” (FOUO), describes one operation’s purpose: “Augment MN State Patrol Civil Disturbance Operations with a show of force.”

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