US expert: "A great measure of racism in this"

When police arrested George Floyd, he was pressed against the ground and in the video that has gone viral he is heard gasping, while saying he cannot breathe.

The incident has led to major demonstrations and has once again put the issue of police brutality on the agenda.

George Floyd is not the only African American man who lost his life as a result of police brutality in the United States. Why police brutality continues has its roots far back in history, says US expert Dag Blanck, professor of North American Studies at Uppsala University.

"The relationship between African Americans and the police is still living in the shadow of American slavery and the legal segregation that has long existed," says Blanck, and continues:

- The police forces were for a long time completely white and were often seen by the blacks as part of the oppressive society.

But the problem is multifaceted. Economic inequality and liberal gun laws play a major role in this context.

- Young black men are overrepresented among criminals and therefore people sometimes stop for no reason, says Dag Blanck.

He continues:

- Because there are so many weapons in circulation in American society, it is very difficult to know if there is any weapon in the car. This can sometimes cause the police to overreact.

For fear of being shot themselves?

- Of course. If someone opens the glove compartment in the car to retrieve the driver's license, you can not know what is there. It can lead to very tense situations.

Dag Blanck says it is important to note that in many places the American police are making serious attempts to eradicate racism within the union.

- You remove racist people. Camera surveillance has been introduced in cars, and sometimes "body cameras" are used to document what has happened in a situation. They are also trying to bring minority groups into the police to dramatize these situations.

Is the police in the US more racist than other professions?

- It is difficult to answer in general, but there has been racism among police officers.