2020 Protests megathread

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Philadelphia doesn't have enough wagons to handle all the arrests they've made after curfew! 😁 Keep em off the streets!!

Weak Krasner is just going to let them all go unfortunately 😠😠😠

[Pyro]

Hands raised, and it didn't matter. NYPD has been particularly deplorable today.

https://twitter.com/AJRupchandani/status/1266889115288711168

[Gass3268]

It's a shame to see the white supremacists, anarchists, and trigger happy police officers destroy these protests.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

It's a shame to see the white supremacists, anarchists, and trigger happy police officers destroy these protests.

No good deed goes unpunished.

[Gass3268]

https://twitter.com/Scaramucci/status/1266895636642910210?s=20

[Donald Trump’s Toupée]

In the UK, people hit pots and pans in appreciation for the NHS.

In the US, people just hit each other.

[Pyro]

Yet another police assault on a news crew. Why are they targeting the media?

https://twitter.com/MikeGeorgeCBS/status/1266919447970942986

[NOVA Green]

Meanwhile...

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

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

If true, this is awesome and amazing.

We go from a situation in many communities where police officers were seen as heroes and first responder's at the time of COVID-19, and in many parts of the Country, disproportionately from Minority backgrounds who also experienced high rates of infections.

In my mind there is no question that the militarization of the police force over the past Decade or so, buying surplus hardware from the US Military from the wars in Afghanistan & Iraq, combined with in certain cities a police culture that has covered up the "bad coppers", has helped contribute to the nationalization of the brutal police murder which we also witnessed live (although honestly I can't watch all of the footage, as it is simply too distressing to watch a man die while essentially pleading for his life and his mother).

Obviously the economic collapse as a direct result of Federal Leadership, the failure to properly support communities already suffering, and then through in a President who not only has been AWOL on COVID-19, but even further has been stoking the fires and flames both rhetorically and policy wise when it comes to communities of color, as well as younger populations within America, created a perfect spark at a time where the gasoline was already flowing within many parts of America.

In many ways I believe that the vast majority of protesters throughout the United States do not inherently view Law Enforcement Officers as "the enemy", but rather the symbols of structural oppression....

We need more local Law Enforcement Agencies joining in with peaceful protesters asking for justice, which is something that maybe could rehabilitate the perception in many ways that the "Police Unions" are simply protecting the "perps" and not part of the problem.

It's a tough job, I get it, but that's also part of the reason why we have Unions:

"An Injury to One is an Injury to All".... Militarization of Law Enforcement for whatever reason, including "force protection" generally creates a much deeper gap than Community Based Policing programs (Bit more expensive for sure but it reduces the division between the Officers and those whom they swore to "protect and serve"....

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Yet another police assault on a news crew. Why are they targeting the media?

The media is the enemy of the people. They are as guilty as anyone rioting since they are lying in support of it.

[Gass3268]

Yet another police assault on a news crew. Why are they targeting the media?

https://twitter.com/MikeGeorgeCBS/status/1266919447970942986

Journalists are being arrested in New York too.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Meanwhile...

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

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

If true, this is awesome and amazing.

We go from a situation in many communities where police officers were seen as heroes and first responder's at the time of COVID-19, and in many parts of the Country, disproportionately from Minority backgrounds who also experienced high rates of infections.

In my mind there is no question that the militarization of the police force over the past Decade or so, buying surplus hardware from the US Military from the wars in Afghanistan & Iraq, combined with in certain cities a police culture that has covered up the "bad coppers", has helped contribute to the nationalization of the brutal police murder which we also witnessed live (although honestly I can't watch all of the footage, as it is simply too distressing to watch a man die while essentially pleading for his life and his mother).

Obviously the economic collapse as a direct result of Federal Leadership, the failure to properly support communities already suffering, and then through in a President who not only has been AWOL on COVID-19, but even further has been stoking the fires and flames both rhetorically and policy wise when it comes to communities of color, as well as younger populations within America, created a perfect spark at a time where the gasoline was already flowing within many parts of America.

In many ways I believe that the vast majority of protesters throughout the United States do not inherently view Law Enforcement Officers as "the enemy", but rather the symbols of structural oppression....

We need more local Law Enforcement Agencies joining in with peaceful protesters asking for justice, which is something that maybe could rehabilitate the perception in many ways that the "Police Unions" are simply protecting the "perps" and not part of the problem.

It's a tough job, I get it, but that's also part of the reason why we have Unions:

"An Injury to One is an Injury to All".... Militarization of Law Enforcement for whatever reason, including "force protection" generally creates a much deeper gap than Community Based Policing programs (Bit more expensive for sure but it reduces the division between the Officers and those whom they swore to "protect and serve"....

I agree totally with you.
I can only add that the very absence of leadership from the very top makes things like this all the more important. Nature abhors a vacuum. If the man at the top doesn't care, then attention will focus on leadership from those beneath him in rank. Mayors, governors, even those who are as small-scale as heads of mere local PDs.

[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.

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.

You can also argue that those same riots also prompted an end to the bombing in Vietnam. If you really wanna play the history card in this let's not forget how riots and violence lead to the founding of this country itself!

If we go by 1968, 50 years later, Black Americans have seen how reforms all the way to electing a Black President have been for their community. In that time, we've seen drugs poured into our communities, a prison industrial complex locking our people up for life sentences on minor offenses, and a extreme decline of wealth and gentrification. Looting multinational corporations who pay slave wages and businesses who directly have involvement with police forces who systemically profile black boys and girls is arguably reasonable compared to white supremacists storming state houses demanding restaurants to open. This young generation out there is tired and angry and I see why they resort to this when leaders only care about them every time they need folks at the polls.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Yet another police assault on a news crew. Why are they targeting the media?

The media is the enemy of the people. They are as guilty as anyone rioting since they are lying in support of it.

If you’re not allowed to be standing in the street, you better gtf outta there. Journalists don’t have any extra rights that the average person isn’t afforded. What makes a CNN reporter immune while the rioters would get thrown into a paddy wagon?

[NOVA Green]

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

It was shocking to watch live... he had been covering the peaceful protest for hours (as he has been for quite a few days).

He's on the news live now... apparently they shouted "we are media" and the Law Enforcement officers responded "we don't care"....

[Gass3268]

Meanwhile...

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

Near Flint, Michigan too:

https://twitter.com/midmichigannow/status/1266907736735956996?s=20

[Donald Trump’s Toupée]

I hope anyone committing crimes is prosecuted fully. Many will be facing some serious charges....

Those are your basket of deplorables, no better than the abusive cop.

[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.

You can also argue that those same riots also prompted an end to the bombing in Vietnam. If you really wanna play the history card in this let's not forget how riots and violence lead to the founding of this country itself!

If we go by 1968, 50 years later, Black Americans have seen how reforms all the way to electing a Black President have been for their community. In that time, we've seen drugs poured into our communities, a prison industrial complex locking our people up for life sentences on minor offenses, and a extreme decline of wealth and gentrification. Looting multinational corporations who pay slave wages and businesses who directly have involvement with police forces who systemically profile black boys and girls is arguably reasonable compared to white supremacists storming state houses demanding restaurants to open. This young generation out there is tired and angry and I see why they resort to this when leaders only care about them every time they need folks at the polls.

Again, we are on the same page here. As I've said repeatedly, I understand why these protesters are out on the streets. What I'm saying is that we need to have a path forward from this. I don't know what that path will take, but the current situation is unfeasible. Can you at least agree with me in that respect?

[Storr]

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/

Here's a CNN brief/alert about that. I hope they find whoever did it...

An officer contracted by the Federal Protective Service of the Department of Homeland Security was shot and killed Friday night in Oakland, California, the FBI said in a statement.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I hope anyone committing crimes is prosecuted fully. Many will be facing some serious charges....

Those are your basket of deplorables, no better than the abusive cop.

To be entirely clear my recommend here is in the spirit of opposing looters. It does not extent to hating on BLM or peaceful protestors, the sorts who have been unambigously good throughout this saga.

[NOVA Green]

Yet another police assault on a news crew. Why are they targeting the media?

The media is the enemy of the people. They are as guilty as anyone rioting since they are lying in support of it.

If you’re not allowed to be standing in the street, you better gtf outta there. Journalists don’t have any extra rights that the average person isn’t afforded. What makes a CNN reporter immune while the rioters would get thrown into a paddy wagon?

Do we live in a Democracy or in a Totalitarian Banana Republic Dictatorship?

Generally in most cities with active curfews in place, Media still is allowed to move around along with various folks that have "essential work" permits....

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

If those 4 officers who participated in George Floyd's murder aren't convicted, then America is going to be burnt down to the ground.

I'm not advocating for that but I'm just speaking the truth on what will happen. The anger will be insurmountable at that point.

[I Will Not Be Wrong]

When could we expect the other officers to be arrested?

[Storr]

When could we expect the other officers to be arrested?

I doubt the other officers are convicted of anything serious, if at all. It wasn't a group thing like Freddie Gray where a bunch of cops worked together to 'rough' him up, which ended up contributing to Gray's death. What could the other three officer be charged with? Failure to assist?

[GM Team Member and Deputy PPT WB]

I'll once again post what I said on twitter (though I'm still not linking the account)

the vast majority of protesters are peaceful. Most of the looters are opportunistic assholes who in all likelihood don't give two sh[inks]s about what's going on in this country.

[NOVA Green]

When could we expect the other officers to be arrested?

They say that "the wheels of justice move slowly"....

In situations involving law enforcement officers, they move at a relative snail's pace....

In this situation, there was an initial rapid response from the Mayor (firing all four officers potentially exposing the city to unlawful term lawsuits, etc), took a book longer for the DA to actually charge one officer...

Honestly, the cat is already out of the bag, and what in "normal circumstances" might have been considered more of a "local issue" is now nationalized, so quite frankly even if all Four Officers are arrested and charged with murder, I don't think this is going to stop what has been building up for some time throughout the US, especially since the election of DJT.