China News Service, June 2 (Guo Peishan) A large-scale protest caused by the death of American African-American man Freud by police violent law enforcement has lasted for a week. Demonstrations broke out in at least 140 cities across the United States, curfews were imposed in 40 cities, and the National Guard was used in 23 states. The police were "fully armed" on the streets, but the crisis caused by "I can't breathe" is still intensifying...
On May 27 local time, a protester demonstrated with a mask.
However, when the police station was set on fire, shops were looted, civilians were shot dead and rammed, trampled, and chaotic, the peaceful protest in the United States changed its taste. Everything seems to be getting farther and farther away from the purpose of justice... who is the vulnerable group that really needs to be cared for, and who is guarding?
When peaceful protests go out of control...
George Floyd, an African-American man living in Minneapolis, probably never expected that he would be 46 years old because of a suspected counterfeit bill of 20 dollars. Perhaps more unexpectedly, many demonstrations against racial discrimination followed in the United States.
According to reports, Freud and the white police officer Drake Showan who "kneeled to kill" him were colleagues: they worked in the same nightclub and probably knew each other.
However, on the day of the incident on May 25, the video of Freud's arrest showed that it was Xiao Wan who was "suspected to know" and pressed his knee to Freud's neck, regardless of "I can't breathe" 'S cry, within a few minutes, killed him.
On May 25, local time, African-American man George Freud was arrested by the police in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, and was subsequently killed by "kneeling".
In the United States, white police "violent law enforcement" of African descent occurs frequently. According to a survey by the American civil organization Mapping Police Violence, from 2014 to 2019, the probability of Africans being killed by police is twice that of Latinos and almost three times that of whites.
At first, the protest was peaceful and orderly. A large number of demonstrators went to the crime scene and demanded that Xiao Wan be arrested. The police fired back rubber bullets and tear gas.
But soon after, some demonstrators began to violently smash police stations, rob restaurants and supermarkets, and set fire to houses. The situation became urgent.
No one can "keep himself alone"
The "fire" of the demonstration quickly spread. As of June 1, demonstrations broke out in at least 140 cities across the United States, and at least 23 states and Washington DC mobilized the National Guard. Despite the dismissal of the police officer Xiao Wan who was involved and the prosecution's finding that he was involved in third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, the demonstrators' anger was still intensifying. The shops run by the government, the police, and even the ethnic minorities have been affected, and none have been spared.
On the evening of May 28, angry protesters surrounded a police station in Minneapolis. After the police withdrew, demonstrators rushed into the police station and set fire to at least one person who died in the riot.
Mass protests broke out in Minnesota, USA. Image source: Screenshot of China-Singapore video.
On the 29th, in Washington, DC, a large number of protesters appeared near the White House. Some people ignited the American flag outside the White House. To avoid potential threats, President Trump hid in the White House bunker. Demonstrators also broke into the US Treasury building and sprayed paint on the walls, expressing anger.
Demonstration scene near the White House in the United States. Image source: Screenshot of China-Singapore video
In addition, in the past few days, restaurants, supermarkets, and shops in various places in the United States have been robbed. A department store in Beverly Hills, California was robbed, and many people fled the scene with brand-name bags from LV stores; an Apple store in Minneapolis was also broken into by demonstrators. Although the owner posted a notice in the store, saying that the store is owned by ethnic minorities, it didn't help.
As the conflict between police and civilians continued, some people began to violently smash police stations, rob restaurants and supermarkets, and set fire to houses. The picture shows demonstrators in Minneapolis igniting cars in the parking lot.
Innocent people began to become victims.
Demonstrators of "different ways but collusion"
So far, why did a demonstration that originally pursued social fairness and justice, and shouted for minority groups, become such a scene?
President Trump pointed his finger at the "extreme left". In contrast, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey blamed the far-right "white supremacist groups" and "incitement from outside the state."
However, the situation disclosed by various experts and the media tells a more complicated story.
The British "Guardian" reported that the demonstrators in Minneapolis were clearly divided into different groups:
First, young white people, often carrying backpacks, are "white supremacists" among the population of Frei and others;
Second, for local people, including African Americans, whites, and Latinos, they have always focused on justice for Freud, especially calling for the arrest of all personnel related to his death;
The third is mainly a group of young people with other purposes, both black and white. Regardless of skin color, they mainly focus on robbery.
On May 29 local time, a car from the Atlanta Police Department was burned down.
Sometimes, what the governor calls "white supremacists" act together with those who rob the store, but they do not necessarily participate in the plunder.
Sometimes, those who seek justice will “call for justice” with young white groups at the city’s police station.
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, said that in such a complex operation, not all sabotage can be attributed to any single faction.
Brian Levine, director of the Center for Hate and Extremism Research at California State University San Bernardino, said: "We see a variety of human factors." "We know that, in fact, these rallies are on the Internet , There are both extreme rightists and extreme leftists."
On May 30th local time, during a protest in Philadelphia, the United States, police took to the streets to maintain law and order.
Minorities are still trapped in "winter"
The fuse that triggered the mass protests in the United States was the death of Freud. However, have the rights of ethnic minorities really been protected?
The answer may be no.
As the US economy is struggling to escape from the hibernation caused by the new crown epidemic, this riot has caused it to be hit hard again. Currently, the violence has prompted Amazon to reduce delivery services in some cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, and has closed delivery stations. Apple issued a statement saying: "Considering the health and safety of our team, we have decided to close some stores in the US this weekend."
At the same time, those shops, supermarkets, and public transportation facilities that were smashed during the demonstration also needed time to recover. And the consequences of all this will directly affect the ethnic minorities in the United States who are generally engaged in basic work. After experiencing unemployment and salary cuts caused by the new crown epidemic, they will still be trapped in the "cold winter."
On May 27 local time, the Minneapolis City Police set up roadblocks during the protesters' demonstrations.
Former US Food and Drug Administration Director Scott Gottlieb also issued a warning recently that the new US crown epidemic has not yet been controlled, and the intensified demonstrations will lead to the accelerated spread of the epidemic. This is a "lethal" blow to the ethnic minorities with the highest mortality rate and the lowest medical insurance coverage in the new crown.
In addition, when demonstrators carried out large-scale arson and robbery under the banner of justice for Freud, the legitimacy of the demonstrations will no doubt be questioned.
Against this background, who will protect the future of minorities and vulnerable groups? (Finish)