George Floyd: Protests, Violence and Official Inaction

By Jeralyn, Section Misconduct
Posted on Thu May 28, 2020 at 10:38:00 PM EST
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Bump and Update: Protesters have set a Minneapolis police precinct on fire. The police are no longer there. There are no sirens and no one coming to put out the fire. Their philosophy seems to be we are outmanned, we're heading out and they're on their own. There are thousands of people in the streets.

The sad thing is that attention is being drawn from such a legitimate protest. People will focus on the violence of the protesters rather than the actions of the police that precipitated them. [More..]

Original Post: Protests in Minnesota over the May 25, 2020, death of George Floyd turned violent overnight and the National Guard was called in. Here is DOJ's and the FBI's latest statement.

Reactions to this tragic killing will get worse. This is a case of police misconduct that the entire nation can relate to. I doubt anyone will try to justify the actions of the cops, four of whom have been fired -- so far.

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This is worth reposting (5.00 / 1) (#1)
by CaptHowdy on Thu May 28, 2020 at 03:10:11 PM EST

I think

Klobuchar Declined to Prosecute Cop Who Killed Floyd
May 28, 2020 at 2:36 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 403 Comments
While serving as Minnesota's chief prosecutor between 1999 and 2007, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) "declined to bring charges against more than two dozen police officers who had killed citizens while on duty - including against the officer that killed George Floyd" in Minneapolis this week, MintPress News reports.
The Washington Post examined Klobuchar's record as a prosecutor early last year: "As a prosecutor in heavily white Minnesota, Amy Klobuchar declined to go after police involved in fatal encounters with black men."
The Week has more details.
Jonathan Capehart: Why black voters don't want Klobuchar as Biden's running mate.

defense site (1.00 / 2) (#5)
by thomas rogan on Thu May 28, 2020 at 07:17:02 PM EST

I'm sure someone can release the information on the cases Klobuchar didn't file charges on, but since none of the cases are household names or involved rioting then I suspect that there wasn't much of a case to be made. Since most other prosecutors seldom go after cops, I don't know why Klobuchar is especially being singled out except for political reasons.
You haven't mentioned the numerous times Kamala Harris went after cops involved in killing black suspects when she was DA and then attorney general of California. Wonder why.


: "Wonder why?" (none / 0) (#9)
by Yman on Thu May 28, 2020 at 08:30:02 PM EST

Why not say it? Didn't think you Trumpers worried about being "politically correct".

Was disheartened to see a video (5.00 / 1) (#4)
by Chuck0 on Thu May 28, 2020 at 07:08:27 PM EST

of a Target being looted. That does nothing for the protest or the cause of stopping police violence against black men. It only feeds the right wingers.

: There's this (none / 0) (#6)
by CaptHowdy on Thu May 28, 2020 at 08:15:41 PM EST

Right-Wing `Race War' Wannabes Could Make Police Protests Go Nuclear

Fears are growing over right-wing provocateurs exploiting the protests of police violence as they seek to start a second civil war in America, that they call the "boogaloo."
"The Minneapolis protests this week--which resulted in fires and broken windows and reports of at least one adjacent shooting death--aren't just drawing racial justice activists. They're attracting attention from heavily-armed forces on the right. Some of them, members of a growing white supremacist movement, openly hope to co-opt the protests to start a race war," The Daily Beast reported Thursday. "Others claim to make common cause with anti-police protesters, but may be inclined to turn guns on protesters when they appear to threaten private property."

Good news on the virus front. (1.00 / 1) (#3)
by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Thu May 28, 2020 at 06:58:50 PM EST

Top official: Risk is minimal.

: Published (none / 0) (#11)
by KeysDan on Thu May 28, 2020 at 08:36:30 PM EST

February 17, 2020.

: Misleading, recycled headlines ... (none / 0) (#14)
by Yman on Thu May 28, 2020 at 08:48:56 PM EST

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be testing for the coronavirus in people in five major cities who show up at clinics with flu-like symptoms but who test negative for the seasonal varieties.
If that testing shows the virus has slipped into the country in places federal officials don't know about, "we've got a problem," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told USA TODAY's Editorial Board Monday.
... from mid-February is the best you guys can do? When the orange buffoon was telling people it was totally under control and going to disappear weeks afterwards?
Heh.

National Guard (none / 0) (#2)
by CaptHowdy on Thu May 28, 2020 at 04:37:57 PM EST

Minnesota governor activates National Guard to respond to protests over George Floyd's death
BY JUSTINE COLEMAN - 05/28/20 05:36 PM EDT

If charged, which I assume at least one (none / 0) (#7)
by McBain on Thu May 28, 2020 at 08:16:33 PM EST

officer will be, they deserve a fair trial. A trial based on the facts specific to this case not the crimes and perceived crimes of others. Is that possible? I hope so.

con·cern troll (none / 0) (#8)
by CaptHowdy on Thu May 28, 2020 at 08:25:30 PM EST

nounINFORMAL*DEROGATORY

a person who disingenuously expresses concern about an issue with the intention of undermining or derailing genuine discussion


No Howdy (none / 0) (#12)
by McBain on Thu May 28, 2020 at 08:41:02 PM EST

This is something I feel very strongly about. I don't know anyone who has defended the actions of any of these officers but they still have rights.


: Of course they do (5.00 / 2) (#16)
by Yman on Thu May 28, 2020 at 09:14:50 PM EST

Unlike the actual victims, the police always have rights.

: Yeah, but here's the thing ... (5.00 / 4) (#17)
by Peter G on Thu May 28, 2020 at 09:18:32 PM EST

NOBODY has suggested that if charged the killer or killers shouldn't have all their rights protected; certainly no one on this site. So that's not the issue. The discussion is about the persistent and plainly racist scourge of deadly force being employed abusively by police and vigilantes against young black men (primarily, although not all young and not all males), and what can be done about it. There is no societal problem I am aware of, of police accused of wrongdoing being denied fair trials. Au contraire; their chances of acquittal are orders of magnitude greater than those of almost anyone else. So "concern troll" seems an apt suggestion.

As we know from (none / 0) (#10)
by Repack Rider on Thu May 28, 2020 at 08:35:03 PM EST

Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, the standard tactic is to put the victim on trial, and claim that the much better armed shooter was only defending himself from one of those...animals.

They are even more dangerous when wounded, you have to put them down.


: That "press conference" was something (none / 0) (#13)
by CaptHowdy on Thu May 28, 2020 at 08:43:12 PM EST

It's really amazing you could literally mix and match what the pasty white bureaucrats say. EVERY time. And you could not tell them apart
That video was (fill in the blank) awful horrible terrible yadda yadda
This should NEVER happen to anyone yadda yadda
This must never happen again yadda yadda
Meanwhile it likely already happened again.

CNN (none / 0) (#15)
by CaptHowdy on Thu May 28, 2020 at 09:03:42 PM EST

The Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyd's neck had 18 previous complaints against him, police department says

Trump (none / 0) (#18)
by CaptHowdy on Thu May 28, 2020 at 10:12:42 PM EST

Loves this. No talk of his polls or his failure. Just brown and urban people wild in the streets.

Do you remember (none / 0) (#20)
by ragebot on Thu May 28, 2020 at 11:09:21 PM EST

the Democratic convention in 1968. A lot of folks think this is what destroyed the dems and allowed the pubs to win in a landslide.

There is a talking head on CNN saying he hopes 500 National Guard troops will be enough to regain control of the streets. The on scene CNN reporters are being attacked by protesters. MSNBC claims the fire department could not get to the fires even if they wanted too.

I agree this helps Trump. It simply re-enforces the image of lawlessness on the part of some. The ads for Trump make themselves.


Trump (none / 0) (#23)
by Ga6thDem on Fri May 29, 2020 at 06:02:02 AM EST

has to love CNN getting attacked. It sure helps him with the white nationalists which are his base. The rest of the country is just generally horrified.


: I would assume (none / 0) (#25)
by jmacWA on Fri May 29, 2020 at 07:14:33 AM EST

that the arrest was at least somewhat predicated on the crew being from CNN... those known purveyors of 'fake news'.

Didn't say it helps Trump (none / 0) (#24)
by CaptHowdy on Fri May 29, 2020 at 06:46:09 AM EST

And I don't think it does

I said he loves it.


: This doesn't help Trump (none / 0) (#26)
by CaptHowdy on Fri May 29, 2020 at 07:15:18 AM EST

It's for the 39%
Twitter restricts new Trump tweet for `glorifying violence'
`When the looting starts, the shooting starts,' tweeted the President of the United States of America

I am not promoting violence. But.
They are demanding the guy with his knee on Floyd's throat be arrested. I am with them. No matter what they do until that happens.
If they stop this will go like all the others have.
Enough. Arrest the killer and your problems will be solved.
Easy peasy
Don't, and buckle up.

Btw (none / 0) (#27)
by CaptHowdy on Fri May 29, 2020 at 07:19:24 AM EST

It's not 1968.


Worst night yet (none / 0) (#19)
by ragebot on Thu May 28, 2020 at 10:50:58 PM EST

Precinct 3 has been set on fire after the station seems to be abandoned by LEOs, seems they left on orders from higher up. Helos showing multiple fires in the area. On the scene camera shots show empty 24 beer pacts on the ground and reporters saying lots in the crowd are drunk and you can smell pot. The fire department is making no effort to put out any of the fires on what seem to be orders from higher up. The pols in Minneapolis seem to have taken the position to back off and let the city burn and the looters loot.

L.A., Denver, and NYC have had arrests and injuries in protests. Other protests in Louisville and other cities being reported but there seems to be a real police presence everywhere but L.A.

Seems this will get worse before it gets better.

: Denver is OK (none / 0) (#21)
by Jeralyn on Fri May 29, 2020 at 12:58:31 AM EST

there were a lot of police sirens and a lot of protests around Capitol Hill, Colfax, the State Capitol, in lower downtown and on 1-25 20th St and Commons Park. At one point, protesters shut down the highway in both directions.
Police used pepperballs and tear gas. One protester got hit in the eye and was bleeding, he got bandaged him up at the scene.
One of the most unusual events of the night had nothing to do with the police. A driver of a black SUV turned onto 14th Ave, a one way street around Lincoln when a protester jumped on the hood of his/her car. The driver swerved and the protester fell off the hood onto the ground, and the driver swerved turned his car around (now going the wrong way on the one way street) to run him over. Here is a 23 second video of it. Truly amazing. Even Gov. Jared Polis commented on it:
bq. I was absolutely shocked by video evidence of a motorist attempting to run over a protestor. Coloradans are better than this.
Not all of them. Most of the comments to the video support the driver.

Just (none / 0) (#22)
by FlJoe on Fri May 29, 2020 at 05:16:08 AM EST

watched a entire CNN crew get arrested in Minneapolis. The camera is still live lying in the middle of the street.