Protesters clash with Minneapolis cops after George Floyd’s death in police custody

[Godfather]

Just want to say firstly thanks for the civil chat DGX and Pony! Enjoying it.

How's the crime distribution among races in Canada? Not trying to make excuses, I'm just curious.

Sorry didn't originally read your entire comment. Yes, statistically lower income areas have much higher crime rates regardless of race. Is their still racism involved in some of the cases? I'd bet absolutely. Is is systemic and at the level that it's reported to be? IMO, not even close.

In the past it was a LOT more prevalent and blatant. Culturally has this had an effect on how certain populations trust and react when dealing with police? This got me thinking of some of the isolated communities in Alaska where they have serious mistrust in any police presence in their communities.

The crime and victim rate are definitely many times higher than non-natives, no question.

So I'd guess the follow up question (not to put words in your mouth) is: Does that mean the community is the problem - or is the crime rate also to be blamed on discrimination and over-policing? I'm no expert but I'll blab on anyways

Racism is the easy way to explain and it and transfer blame. Unfortunately it feels race is the only explanation you're allowed to talk about with the 'left.' It avoids uncomfortable and introspective discussions about fixing problems from within.

That said, there are some further arguments that point to racism. Natives in Canada are charged on average with 25% more offenses when tried. They're more than twice as likely to face incarceration if convicted. They spend 1.5-2x longer detained pre-trial, and are more likely to be denied bail. They meet their lawyers significantly less than non-aboriginals (over 60% see their lawyers under 3 times, while 60% of non-aboriginals see their lawyers more than 3 times). Natives are more likely to be stopped by police and searched. I've also heard enough native people tell me their experiences with cops that are very different from mine that I can't ignore, but that is anecdotal.

I fully agree this doesn't dismiss the socioeconomic problems. Life on many reserves is a mess of crime, unemployment, poverty, abuse, addition, corrupt band leaders, etc, etc. They point the finger at the colonizers - and there is a dark history in Canada of treatment of natives (if you want to feel terrible as a Canadian read about Indian Residential Schools). Others point the finger back at them, as we've already rectified laws that treated them as second class (though they'd debate this re: protected lands).

All that typing to say of course there are issues of socioeconomic turmoil and chaos in their community, but I do still see evidence of continued discrimination in Canada. As you say though Pony, is it the the degree they claim? I don't think so, so I suppose we're mostly on the same page.

[Godfather]

DAYUM...Candace is on a roll. " Do stupid things win stupid prizes!"

Interesting take thanks. I saw her name trending on Twitter and wondered why

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Louis Casiano | Fox News



'Don't lock your doors tighter, open your hearts wider': Ohio store owner sends message after shop is looted

New York City police officers were seen clashing with demonstrators in another night of mass gatherings Thursday in a city that has seen some of the worst violence since George Floyd protests began more than a week ago.

But it was a clash across the Empire State, in Buffalo, that was attracting attention on social media.

In a shocking video that went viral, Buffalo police were seen pushing an elderly man backward, causing him to slam his head against the ground and apearing to knock him unconscious.

WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO

"He's bleeding out his ear!" someone is heard saying on the video.

The 75-year-old man was reported to be in "stable but serious condition" in a hospital and two police officers were immediately suspended. In addition, the city's police commissioners announced the start of an internal affairs investigation.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called in the incident "wholly unjustified and utterly disgraceful."

Downstate, in the nation's largest city, law enforcement officers were out in force as an evening curfew took effect, in an attempt to keep the peace and prevent violence that has marred otherwise peaceful demonstrations over the death of Floyd, whose death while in police custody last month has ignited a firestorm of criticism of law enforcement agencies over police brutality.

All across New York City, large gatherings began, coinciding with an emotional memorial service for Floyd in Minneapolis, the city where he died May 25 after having a police officer's knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

New York has seen some of the worst violence since protests began more than a week ago. On Wednesday, a police officer was stabbed in the neck and two others were shot.

Thousands remained in the streets after the city's 8 p.m. curfew took effect Thursday, as well as large numbers of police officers. In the Bronx, officers were seen clashing and aggressively charging toward demonstrators in an apparent attempt to keep crowd control. Other videos appeared to show the NYPD arresting curfew violators en masse, threatening protesters with jail and wielding batons at them.

Many demonstrators have accused the department of aggressively enforcing the city's curfew and engaging in the same militaristic behavior they are protesting against.

WARNING: VIDEO BELOW CONTAINS PROFANITY

Hours earlier, a massive crowd packed the Brooklyn Bridge, prompting officials to shut down traffic into Manhattan temporarily. A gathering near Gracie Mansion, the residence of Mayor Bill de Blasio, cleared out just before the curfew began. One group headed south from the area clashed with police on the Upper East Side and arrests were made.

In Chicago, rapper Kanye West marched with Chicago Public Schools students to demand the school district end its $33 million contract with the Chicago Police Department.

In the St. Louis area, hundreds gathered to call for criminal justice reforms. The city has seen a fair share of violence in recent days, as four police officers have been shot and a retired police captain killed while trying to protect a pawn shop from looters this week.

Protesters in Washington D.C., soaked in the rain as National Guard soldiers waited out the downpour inside one of the White House office buildings.

Multiple cities across the country have imposed curfews in an attempt to prevent widespread rioting and looting that has mostly occurred after dark. Wednesday night saw a break in the chaos as most gatherings remained peaceful.

On Thursday, thousands in Southern California and Washington, D.C., held vigils in honor of Floyd, similar to events in other parts of the country.

In Los Angeles County, officials lifted a county-wide curfew order Thursday, though some cities have chosen to keep their orders in place out of precaution. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced he also lifted his curfew order.

Curfews have become a sticking point between protesters and authorities. The American Civil Liberties Union and Black Lives Matter L.A.filed a lawsuit against local officials and law enforcement leaders in Southern California this week over the "draconian" orders.

Monday marked a week since Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died while in the custody of Minneapolis police officers. A video of a white officer pinning his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes went viral and has prompted outrage around the world.

The officers involved have since been fired and criminally charged.

[lost in melb.]

[lost in melb.]

I've seen a lot of tweets in the past 10 minutes of police just beating up various people, passers by, women, tear gassing kids. I assume they're over-staying curfew?

On good news, they can't really blame Trump for this

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I've seen a lot of tweets in the past 10 minutes of police just beating up various people, passers by, women, tear gassing kids. I assume they're over-staying curfew?

On good news, they can't really blame Trump for this

The media can and will blame Trump for EVERYTHING.

[lost in melb.]

It's in NY

[Teh One Who Knocks]

[lost in melb.]

A completely concocted story particularly when you look at the news videos on it.

My guess is horse whore is blowing this guy...

[RBP]

I am completely out of fucks to give for the protesters. Horse, no horse, threw the smoke bomb into the trailer, or over it. They damaged his property in the attack either way. Why isn't anyone questioning why a "peaceful protester" brought incendiary devices to his "peaceful protest"?

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I am completely out of fucks to give for the protesters. Horse, no horse, threw the smoke bomb into the trailer, or over it. They damaged his property in the attack either way. Why isn't anyone questioning why a "peaceful protester" brought incendiary devices to his "peaceful protest"?

How are you supposed to protest without violence, death, and property destruction? What should they bring to the protests? Bibles and signs?

[RBP]

How are you supposed to protest without violence, death, and property destruction? What should they bring to the protests? Bibles and signs?

This is 5 years ago. Under Obama.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I suppose you think this is how it should be done? Where's the carnage in this image? Pathetic

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Tyler Olson | Fox News




Several members of the Minneapolis City Council this week have expressed support for radical changes to how the city handles law enforcement, including a move to "dismantle" the police department and replace it with "a transformative new model for public safety."

Jeremiah Ellison, the son of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and a representative of the city's Ward 5, explicitly led calls to "dramatically rethink" how the city keeps its people safe.

"We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department," he tweeted. "And when we’re done, we’re not simply gonna glue it back together. We are going to dramatically rethink how we approach public safety and emergency response. It’s really past due."

His call was echoed by Lisa Bender, the president of the city council.

"Yes," she said in response to Ellison. "We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a transformative new model of public safety."

That was not the first time Bender had addressed calls to "dismantle" the city's police force this week, however. On Wednesday she posted a thread about how a "white person" should think about dismantling the police.

"If you are a comfortable white person asking to dismantle the police I invite you to reflect: are you willing to stick with it? Will you be calling in three months to ask about garage break-ins? Are you willing to dismantle white supremacy in all systems, including a new system?" she said. "I mean this quite sincerely & seriously: just look at recent conversations about City-funded neighborhood organizations to understand how explicitly we would have to work to establish alternative systems that do not replicate the same problems. White ppl need to show up for this."

Bender on Tuesday also said "I support continued diversion of funds from law enforcement to other priorities," following calls from many to "defund the police."

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Bender sees the city's potentially revamped public safety force as potentially sending social workers or other civilian personnel into situations that are traditionally handled by police.

Another council member to come out with calls for taking apart the city's police department is Alondra Cano, who tweeted that "[t]he Mpls Police Department is not reformable" and "[c]hange is coming."

Meanwhile, the president of the Minneapolis police union wrote a letter calling the riots in the city a "terrorist movement" and calling elected officials' efforts to find fault in the police department "despicable."

"Our chief requested 400 more officers and was flatly denied any," Bob Kroll said. "This is what led to this record-breaking riot."

He added: "I've worked with the four defense attorneys that are representing each of the four terminated individuals under criminal investigation, in addition with our labor attorneys to fight for their jobs. They were terminated without due process."

Steve Fletcher, also a member of the Minneapolis City Council, condemned Kroll and the police union in a long thread in which he said the city should "declare policing as we know it a thing of the past."

"Bob Kroll’s letter yesterday to the Minneapolis Police Federation membership showed us what rank-and-file officers voted for in their leadership, and it is yet another sign that the department is irredeemably beyond reform," Fletcher said. "After watching MPD officers escalate and provoke anger all week, he asserts that if they’d only been allowed to use more violence, they could have put a stop to demonstrations. This is nonsense. MPD officers chose him as their leader."

Fletcher continued: "I don’t know yet, though several of us on the council are working on finding out, what it would take to disband the MPD and start fresh with a community-oriented, non-violent public safety and outreach capacity."

According to the Star Tribune, the council is expected to vote Friday on a measure stemming from a state investigation into the police department that could make smaller changes in the short term. Bender, however, said the move is "not meant to be anywhere near starting this bigger conversation," according to the paper.

Minneapolis isn't the only city to consider major changes to its police department, either. The Los Angeles Times reported that Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti will try and cut between $100 million to $150 million from its police budget alone. But the proposed cuts to the LAPD don't appear to include the kind of structural changes to the law enforcement apparatus proposed in Minneapolis.

Floyd died last week after a Minneapolis police officer used his knee to pin Floyd to the ground by his neck for several minutes in an incident caught on camera. The video sparked outrage nationwide, leading to protests that sometimes turned into riots, particularly at night in large cities.

The officer who knelt on Floyd's neck, Derek Chauvin, currently faces second-degree murder charges and three other officers involved in the response to the Floyd incident are facing charges of being accessories to second-degree murder.

Two separate autopsies have ruled Floyd's death a homicide.

[RBP]

#DefundThePolice - sign the petition!

Yes, that's an actual thing.