BLM Demonstrations, Riots, Police Brutality, Justice for George Floyd

[Jed_]

If I was asked which of the big cities do I feel like is mine, I’d say Baltimore for the many years I lived in a suburb and the countless days and evenings I spent there.  The same thing happened in Baltimore 5 years ago.  I didn’t go there for about a year.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Baltimore_protests

[joan1984]

  Lost in the story, as the city burns, is the arrest of Mr. Floyd for the passing of Counterfeit U.S. Currency. An arrest the responding Police made with probable cause.

  Had Mr. Floyd not attempted to defraud, via passing Counterfeit U.S. Bills, he may have lived to commit further crimes that day, and the next day, and today, for that matter.

  Training of Police in the use of force, the use of restraint, clearly has so ways to go in Minneapolis, and what 'holds' or specifically what 'actions' must never be used must be included for every Officer, seems.

  Antifa and other thugs, imported for the destruction, burning and looting of the city, or home grown made up of Citizens who were disobeying Stay At Home orders, and clearly not abiding by safe distancing, and masking rules, needs to be addressed, all those who may be identified charged, and steps taken so identification of such thugs can be better, to the end of charging and making the charges stick the next time Antifa and those whose interests chaos serves, decide to burn down a town.

[MintJulie]

It was interesting watching the CNN reporter and his crew arrested live on-air at 6:10ish this morning.

[MissBarbara]

Just like the death penalty, if there’s a racial disparity, then it’s a huge problem.

To be clear, I’m against the death penalty because of both that disparity and that you can release someone later found to be innocent but not resurrect them.  

This is just my opinion, but I see a link between ardent support for the death penalty and the "culture of violence" that GB describes above. The implicit "message" of the pro-capital punishment movement is that if you have a societal problem it's permissible to use the most extreme violence imaginable to eliminate that person from society.

This message -- along with several other messages -- is received by members of minority communities, loudly and clearly.

I’m in favor of gun ownership and even legal carry, but some of the ‘stand the ground’ laws that led to deaths such as Ahmaud Arbery being killed in Georgia for jogging while black and Trayvon Martin being killed for being black and wearing a hoodie while getting ice tea and skittles in Florida indicate there’s a huge problem with these laws.  If a black man or men chased down someone white on such a suspicion, there would be outrage at their actions by the same people that defend people like Zimmerman and those white men in Georgia that killed the jogger.

While I support strict gun control laws, I also support the right of those who can demonstrate that they can safely and intelligently purchase, own, and use guns to be free to do so.

However, this same contradiction, and this same message, emerges. If you own a gun, and are ready to use it, to "protect your castle," the implicit message is that a human life is less valuable than, say, an iPad or a big screen TV.

And that message is also loudly and clearly heard.

[MissBarbara]

 Lost in the story, as the city burns, is the arrest of Mr. Floyd for the passing of Counterfeit U.S. Currency. An arrest the responding Police made with probable cause.

That's pure and unadulterated bullshit.

It hasn't been lost of all. Every story I've read about this incident -- including in the New York Times and on CNN -- mentioned the fact that George Floyd was attempting to pass counterfeit bills, and that his initial encounter with police officers was due specifically to that. No report has labelled Floyd innocent, and no coverage has deemed the police officer's initial approach as anything other than justified.

What's lost in your story is what happened after that. And that's what the protests are about.

[msslave]

It was interesting watching the CNN reporter and his crew arrested live on-air at 6:10ish this morning.

A call from our Governor got them released. Hopefully they're back reporting on the horrid events going on.

This needs to be documented.  Hopefully we can learn and make changes to keep this from reoccurring.

[ChirpingGirl]

Justice is beating an old white woman in a wheelchair and ripping off cheap Chinese made 4K TVs.

You would assume THIS is how black people would be getting killed by police. By rioting, looting, burning and assaulting but the cops stand back and do shit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdNPdRSrEmo

[ChirpingGirl]

It was interesting watching the CNN reporter and his crew arrested live on-air at 6:10ish this morning.

I don't mind them being arrested, but it is interesting that they're arrested, and not the looters and arsonists and terrorists.

[msslave]

I just watched our Governor Walz address the situation. Since he took office a couple years ago I've felt he was very mild mannered. He's background is a teacher.

Today I saw he can be a forceful, take charge, buck stops here leader.  With the State Troopers and National Guard supporting the police departments, I hopeful order may be restored.

Still arrests of the guilty police needs to take place. Every one from the Governor on down are calling this murder. Yet we wait for the county attorney to for his I's and cross his T's.

[watcher1]

What the policeman did just reinforced the views that many minority groups hold of police departments throughout the United States and what the looters are doing reinforces the views of, dare I say, whites and the silent majority. A no win situation provoked by the callous actions of a policeman.

[msslave]

Just found out what I suspected...our mail delivery for our zip code and two others has been suspended due to unsafe conditions.

I didn't get my morning paper either, no doubt for same reason.
Pretty minor compared to everything else going on. My post office is near the police station that was burned. I did hear several of the mail trucks were damaged. No idea if the building was attacked.

A public library in the area burned last night. The losses continue to mount.

[ChirpingGirl]

What the policeman did just reinforced the views that many minority groups hold of police departments throughout the United States and what the looters are doing reinforces the views of, dare I say, whites and the silent majority. A no win situation provoked by the callous actions of a policeman.

It reinforces my own friends views of their own people. I won't even say what they said to me about it. But needless to say they're not on their side.

[Jed_]

I just watched our Governor Walz address the situation. Since he took office a couple years ago I've felt he was very mild mannered. He's background is a teacher.

Today I saw he can be a forceful, take charge, buck stops here leader.  With the State Troopers and National Guard supporting the police departments, I hopeful order may be restored.

Still arrests of the guilty police needs to take place. Every one from the Governor on down are calling this murder. Yet we wait for the county attorney to for his I's and cross his T's.

Not relevant at all, but while listening to the Governor of Minnesota he sounded so familiar.  It took me a while, but he sounds just like Mitt Romney.

[msslave]

At 2:00 this afternoon, the State of Minnesota will decide whether or not to impose a curfew.

A big question is, with the Covid 19 pandemic, what will authorities do, should large numbers or rioters are arrested.

[msslave]

Ex-police officer Derek Chauvin charged with murder, manslaughter in George Floyd death.

Chauvin was taken into custody by the Minnesota BCA early this afternoon. The formal complaint will be posted later today. Charges are still being considered and evidence gathered for expected charges against the other three ex-officers.

Hopefully this and much cooler weather will cool the flames of descent.

[joan1984]

What is the current Stage of 'recovery' or not, from Covid there? Is there not a Stay At Home Order in place by the State Governor?

At 2:00 this afternoon, the State of Minnesota will decide whether or not to impose a curfew.

A big question is, with the Covid 19 pandemic, what will authorities do, should large numbers or rioters are arrested.

[msslave]

Stores were opened a couple weeks ago with limited customers allowed in at one time. Both Minneapolis and St. Paul have ordered that masks must be worn when in a place of business.  Restaurants may open with only outside dining allowed and limited to parties of four or six if family members. Reservations must be made in advance. Social distance of six feet should be maintained.

[Shiela_M]

 Lost in the story, as the city burns, is the arrest of Mr. Floyd for the passing of Counterfeit U.S. Currency. An arrest the responding Police made with probable cause.

That's pure and unadulterated bullshit.

It hasn't been lost of all. Every story I've read about this incident -- including in the New York Times and on CNN -- mentioned the fact that George Floyd was attempting to pass counterfeit bills, and that his initial encounter with police officers was due specifically to that. No report has labelled Floyd innocent, and no coverage has deemed the police officer's initial approach as anything other than justified.

What's lost in your story is what happened after that. And that's what the protests are about.

Her committed a crime, then I can only assume her resisted which is why he ended up on his stomach, on the ground in handcuffs.  This is where murder happens.

I am 5'7" and one hundred and something odd pounds and as a military police officer I dealt with men bigger and stronger than me all the time.  One particular time we had a fight break out at a bar on post.  We arrested 7 people one guy was extremely drunk and belligerent.  We got him in handcuffs and on his stomach. We crossed his ankles and I sat on him calfs.  I was easily half his size and I hand zero problem holding him there by myself.  I did not half to kneel on his neck.

This officer was angry and wanted to assert his power over him.  He is a coward.

That being said, I don't understand how destroying innocent people's property or stealing from stores that have nothing to do with this, is going to solve any problems

[purpleshoes]

Portland (OR) Police Bureau's Justice Center was breached just before midnight Friday. There's video of computers and other equipment being smashed before blinds were drawn. It was set on fire but the internal sprinklers quickly doused the flames.

PPB declared the situation to be unlawful assembly shortly after eleven PM and declared riot conditions less than an hour later.

Several blocks of the downtown area are littered with shattered glass from storefronts, including a high end jewelry store and a shopping plaza anchored by a Louis Vuitton store. Thousands of people were roaming the streets and vandalism/looting was rampant.

Oddly enough, it looked like at least 90% of the people were wearing masks. One has to wonder if it was because of they were being conscientious because of the coronavirus or they just wanted to hide their identity.

[msslave]

Night Four!
Our City and surrounding area are still beseiged. Rioters and looters run rampant... unchecked by police, state troopers and national guard.

It appears outside agitators from out of the area are keeping the mobs riled up.

Now word has leaked that the Pentagon has placed Military Police units on standby alert. Once the final order is given they could be on our streets in a few hours.

Other trouble spots around the country may also see the U.S. Army in their community.

In addition to the first 500 national guard troops deployed, another 1000 have been called up. They are still outnumbered and the widespread violence makes it even harder to get to all the different locations.