2020 Protests megathread

[Dr. Arch]

I saw reports that Las Vegas and Salt Lake City were also hit with protests, so Nevada and Utah should be colored red as well. Pennsylvania as well, since both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have been hit. By next week, I think every state in the Union will have been hit with protests.

Yeah, it's a bit outdated, but the situation is changing so rapidly.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Columbus police pepper sprayed Rep. Joyce Beatty during a protest.

That's pretty f**ked up.

Whichever cop did that should be put on leave. This is unacceptable.

[NeederNodder]

What a queen!

The mayor of Atlanta goes off on TV, full-on yelling into the camera at the rioters and looters while supporting the peaceful protestors.

How completely useless. More time scolding people for property destruction than instructing the police to stop instigating violence. These mayors aren't on the sidelines, they are in positions of power and should be held just as accountable to the deaths as the police.

She had Killer Mike up there with her backing up every word she said. I guess Killer Mike is pro cop too now? Please be quiet. Harming private businesses would be especially counterproductive here in Atlanta because (As mayor Bottoms so eloquently put it) so many are black owned.

Don't put words in my mouth. The mayor doing too little to address police violence does not equate to being "pro-cop," it equates to doing too little. Her focusing on fires instead of systematic change demonstrates a refusal to accept a functional solution. Black people have been denied justice in Atlanta, and in cities throughout the country, and it's the responsibility of people like Mayor Bottoms to hold the police accountable. If she intended on introducing criminal justice reform, she would have done that instead of speaking down to communities so desperate to breathe that they're out in the streets during a fking pandemic. The only solution I've seen from her is to vote, and that's just not going to cut it, here.

As a black person myself, I am absolutely outraged over what happened to George Floyd, and I can understand why these people are out on the streets, as they are. Real and systematic change needs to take place in the country. However, that does not excuse violence and rioting of the scale we've seen here. And you seem not to acknowledge that many of these people are destroying their own communities, their own businesses, and ruining the livelihoods of their own neighbors. Violence should not be met with more violence.

And as a black person myself, these buildings and communities can easily be rebuilt and are likely covered by insurance while the loss of innocent black lives can not. I'm all for the peaceful protests but I'm not surprised with all the looting and violence that's erupting across this country. Our history, this Presidency (and those before him) along with the policies that have systematically denied Black people criminal and economic justice is finally boiling over. What should be more maddening is how leaders of both parties care more to demonize these protesters than actually materially change the conditions that sprung these riots across the country in first place. Dr. Cornell West said it best.

edit: deleting copy

[Donald Trump’s Toupée]

It’s not about George Floyd anymore. It’s about the powder keg that the lockdowns caused. Stop being disingenuous.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Also, congrats to the police for behaving rationally and being level-headed in the face of fanatical looters and rioters acting in a way guaranteed to lose them support and sympathy.
You sure love doing your jobs properly...
/s

[NOVA Green]

I saw reports that Las Vegas and Salt Lake City were also hit with protests, so Nevada and Utah should be colored red as well. Pennsylvania as well, since both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have been hit. By next week, I think every state in the Union will have been hit with protests.

Yeah, it's a bit outdated, but the situation is changing so rapidly.

I was actually starting to work on a project like this a few hours ago....

A few additional updates...

Alaska--- protests in Anchorage & Fairbanks Today (hundreds in Fairbanks, no info yet on Anchorage). Fairbanks peaceful on both sides, no info yet on Anchorage.

Alabama---- Birmingham--- hundreds gathered in a park peacefully on 5/28. Another demo scheduled today, no info yet.

Montgomery--- smaller protest on the State Capitol with DEM lawmakers present.

[Devout Centrist]

Some of you folks still don’t get it. By provoking the protesters with rubber bullets and tear gas, the police are encouraging a violent response from the demonstrators. People are in no mood to endure sheer brutality. The riots are only going to get worse with the use of these tactics.

[Panda Express]

Things starting to look like The Hunger Games in Salt Lake City

Man attacks protesters with a bow and arrow while screaming "All Lives Matter!", promptly gets swarmed by protesters, beaten and has his car set ablaze.

https://twitter.com/KellyVaughen/status/1266888527788118016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%...

[NOVA Green]

Arkansas--- Little Rock--- 5/30/20

https://katv.com/news/local/protesters-block-traffic-on-i-630-in-downtown-little-rock

[JerryArkansas]

I saw reports that Las Vegas and Salt Lake City were also hit with protests, so Nevada and Utah should be colored red as well. Pennsylvania as well, since both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have been hit. By next week, I think every state in the Union will have been hit with protests.

Yeah, it's a bit outdated, but the situation is changing so rapidly.

For sure, Little Rock had a decent sized protest in front of the Capitol today as well.

[Roronoa D. Law]

It’s not about George Floyd anymore. It’s about the powder keg that the lockdowns caused. Stop being disingenuous.

Yeah because White, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian people can't all be upset about the unarmed black man being killed by the police.

[Coastal Elitist]

The federal officer killed last night in Oakland has been identified as Patrick Underwood
https://abc7news.com/federal-officer-killed-in-oakland-identified-per-abc7-source/6221576/

[No War, but the War on Christmas]

There are riots again, tonight... in so many major cities.  Where is our Fearless Leader?  Where is our national response from our president, who should be addressing the nation, pleading for peace, uniting all the hurt and broken factions of this burning country? Seriously, where the hell is he? As far as I’m concerned, Joe Biden is already my President.

[NOVA Green]

New Mexico---- Albuquerque---  Night of 5/28--- looks like a pretty small protest....


https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/protesters-shout-i-cant-breathe-in-tense-standoff-with-albuquerque-police/5744391/

[Reaganfan]

Here's the Rep. Joyce Beatty story:

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/30/joyce-beatty-pepper-sprayed-racism-protests-290931

Great, she can be on Biden's shortlist.

[Donald Trump’s Toupée]

Look at all those people putting each other in danger. And then they go around infecting others weeks after these protests. Shameful.

[It’s so Joever]

Look at all those people putting each other in danger. And then they go around infecting others weeks after these protests. Shameful.

Wait I thought Covid was a hoax meant to suppress the people?

[Pyro]

Meanwhile...

https://twitter.com/JoshuaPotash/status/1266895422397779968

[Calthrina950]

What a queen!

The mayor of Atlanta goes off on TV, full-on yelling into the camera at the rioters and looters while supporting the peaceful protestors.

How completely useless. More time scolding people for property destruction than instructing the police to stop instigating violence. These mayors aren't on the sidelines, they are in positions of power and should be held just as accountable to the deaths as the police.

She had Killer Mike up there with her backing up every word she said. I guess Killer Mike is pro cop too now? Please be quiet. Harming private businesses would be especially counterproductive here in Atlanta because (As mayor Bottoms so eloquently put it) so many are black owned.

Don't put words in my mouth. The mayor doing too little to address police violence does not equate to being "pro-cop," it equates to doing too little. Her focusing on fires instead of systematic change demonstrates a refusal to accept a functional solution. Black people have been denied justice in Atlanta, and in cities throughout the country, and it's the responsibility of people like Mayor Bottoms to hold the police accountable. If she intended on introducing criminal justice reform, she would have done that instead of speaking down to communities so desperate to breathe that they're out in the streets during a fking pandemic. The only solution I've seen from her is to vote, and that's just not going to cut it, here.

As a black person myself, I am absolutely outraged over what happened to George Floyd, and I can understand why these people are out on the streets, as they are. Real and systematic change needs to take place in the country. However, that does not excuse violence and rioting of the scale we've seen here. And you seem not to acknowledge that many of these people are destroying their own communities, their own businesses, and ruining the livelihoods of their own neighbors. Violence should not be met with more violence.

And as a black person myself, these buildings and communities can easily be rebuilt and are likely covered by insurance while the loss of innocent black lives can not. I'm all for the peaceful protests but I'm not surprised with all the looting and violence that's erupting across this country. Our history, this Presidency (and those before him) along with the policies that have systematically denied Black people criminal and economic justice is finally boiling over. What should be more maddening is how leaders of both parties care more to demonize these protesters than actually materially change the conditions that sprung these riots across the country in first place. Dr. Cornell West said it best.

And as a black person myself, these buildings and communities can easily be rebuilt and are likely covered by insurance while the loss of innocent black lives can not. I'm all for the peaceful protests but I'm not surprised with all the looting and violence that's erupting across this country. Our history, this Presidency (and those before him) along with the policies that have systematically denied Black people criminal and economic justice is finally boiling over. What should be more maddening is how leaders of both parties care more to demonize these protesters than actually materially change the conditions that sprung these riots across the country in first place. Dr. Cornell West said it best.

Again, I fully understand what's going on, and I certainly do think that lives are more important than property. Lives are definitely more important than property, and the anger over these issues is intense. I'm almost moved to go out and protest about these injustices myself. But do you honestly think that more violence is going to redress the situation? Look at what happened in 1968! The race riots that occurred that year sparked immense backlash among white racists, and helped propel Richard Nixon into office. They brought an end to the Civil Rights Movement, and led to the undermining of policies, and the escalation of the conditions, that have led us to where we are.

And I still don't think you give enough credit to the real devastation these communities are suffering from. The inner city never fully recovered from the riots of 1968, and the riots we are seeing this week are adding to that. There needs to be a solution that reforms our police departments root and branch, that curbs economic inequalities, that brings justice and equality to nonwhites, to women, to everyone. But it has to be done differently from what these protesters, and the police responding to them, have done.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Meanwhile...

https://twitter.com/JoshuaPotash/status/1266895422397779968

More police departments should do this.
Level-headed leadership at its best.

[Donald Trump’s Toupée]

Look at all those people putting each other in danger. And then they go around infecting others weeks after these protests. Shameful.

Wait I thought Covid was a hoax meant to suppress the people?

I’m sarcastically pointing out the shear hypocrisy that has come to define the left.

[Calthrina950]

I'm sad to say that my home city of Colorado Springs has now been hit by riots: https://www.kktv.com/content/news/Protesters-take-to-downtown-Colorado-Springs-570898891.html. Police are advising people to stay away from downtown due to "criminal activity" committed by the protesters. When it gets this close to me, then it gets real, just as real as the ongoing pandemic has been. 2020 has been such a dystopian year.

[Pyro]

MSNBC's Ali Velshi just reported being fired at by cops with tear gas & bullets unprovoked in MN.

He was coughing from tear gas inhalation from MN SP.

Video was just posted of this.

https://twitter.com/People4Bernie/status/1266920629623681025

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I ask of those who believe in some form of higher entity to pray for this country - this whole country. We are in for rough times.

[beaver2.0]

Meanwhile...

https://twitter.com/JoshuaPotash/status/1266895422397779968

I’d be very interested to see how the situation evolves in that departments jurisdiction in the next few days.