It seems incredible that în 2020 one can loose their life over a 20$ bill, but that is what has happened to George Floyd în Minneapolis. George is just one of a large number of black US citizens who have lost their lives because of diabolical practices and rasism against the huge black community within the US by forces of law and order over many years. Breonna Taylor was a 26-year-old emergency medical technician lost her life also after being shot multiple times by Louisville Police officers on March 13 during a late-night at her home where her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was also sleeping. The list of dead black citizens at the hand of US police is long including Terence Crutcher of Tulsa Oklahoma, Philando Căștile of Minnesota, Samual Dubos in Cincinnati, Sandra Bland of Texas, Freddie Gray in Baltimore, Akai Gurley from Brooklyn, Laquand McDonald in Chicago, Eric Garner at Statin Island, Paul Neil in Chicago and many more over many years.
A study at the University of Michigan, Rutgers University and Washington University shows that in the US police use of force against colored people is amongst the leading causes of death. In its findings the study shows that Police killings in the US are deeply systematic with Race, gender and age patterning in this excess cause of death.
Its time for urgent and drastic changes to be made in the US police service to avoid more deaths of colored people across the US. No person should have to loose their life over a dispute as regarding a 20$ note and if it was a real or false note.
Modern police methods I agree can and must use force in certain situations, but the case of George Floyd was a massive over reaction clearly with not 1 but 3 police officers pinning him to the ground (2 behind the police vehicle out of camera view) including officer Derek Chauvin who was kneeling with his full body weight on the neck of George Floyd and continued to do so despite the man crying out that he couldn’t breathe. This went on for over 8 minutes and as despite 3 officers seen pinning Mr Floyd to the ground and another officer also with a colored past stood beside him and they made no attempt to put the man into the car to take to Police HQ down town which was what should have happened. This was murder in a most violent way and yes the police officers have been removed from office and now former officer Chauvin is charged with murder, but like in many previous cases the officers charged are not actually convicted and escape true justice, some even with out of court settlements, but no matter what another black life has been lost in this latest tragedy caused by lack of professionalism and clear racism in the US.
Clear intent is shown in my opinion by the fact that officer with his knee in George Floyd neck on the ground didn’t lift off even when Mr Floyd was unresponsive for nearly 3 minutes and when he was eventually released was past help despite being rushed to hospital in an ambulance.
People will only stand so much and this applies the World over when oppressed and dictated too. The tinder box has exploded now in the US with violent acts against the authorities including Police ion many US cities in the last days because there has been too many killings on racial grounds. The damage and destruction of properties will cost millions of US$ to repair, but the question remains if the authorities take note, make the changes that are urgently required to stop further racism by Police in the US over many years.
Let me be clear there will always be hardened criminals who will take on the forces of law and order in attempts to escape justice, but the police must be professional, properly trained and equipped to arrest these hard criminals and then after this the courts must be the ones to decide their fate not the police by racist killings. The US prides itself on freedom in its constitution, but this must be a freedom for the whole of the communities no matter what color creed or race.
In short law and order must be within the law when speaking of police actions at all times so that communities and the police can come together, work hand in hand and live together and the sooner that is achieved in the US the better for everyone.
Author Brian Douglas
Brian Douglas is a British humanitarian with over 25 years of experience in Tuberculosis prevention and outreach work helping marginalized families in Romania.
In 2017 he was awarded the British News Agency Award 247 person of the year award
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