Boston, New York, Washington, Philadelphia… Rallies spontaneously broke out in several cities of the United States on September 23.
The reason for their anger: None of the three agents who broke into Breonna Taylor's home by breaking down the door of his home in Louisville in March 2020 was prosecuted for his homicide.
Brett Hankison, the only member of the police trio targeted by a charge, is being prosecuted only for endangering the lives of others, because of his shots which crossed the apartment of the victim's neighbors, announced Wednesday the district attorney. Kentucky.
No charge has however been brought against his two colleagues, Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, who are however the authors of the shootings which killed the African-American, who died in March at the age of 26 years.
The decision is "scandalous and insulting," according to Breonna Taylor's family lawyer Ben Crump.
The 26-year-old nurse was killed in the middle of the night at her home on March 13 when the three police officers showed up with an arrest warrant.
When they arrived, his companion had opened fire with a legally owned weapon.
The officers retaliated and Breonna Taylor was shot several times.
Two police officers injured in Louisville
In Louisville, where Breonna Taylor was from, this judgment ignited the powder.
Before Wednesday's announcement, the municipality declared a state of emergency.
A large police force was in place and several people were arrested in the afternoon.
This did not prevent the gathering during the day of a few hundred people, some heavily armed, in Jefferson Square, a downtown square, in a tense climate.
The demonstrators were finally dispersed by the police, shortly before the time of the curfew, introduced at 9 p.m. local time.
But clashes between the police and the demonstrators.
Two police officers deployed around 8:30 p.m. local time at the scene of one of the protests in this Kentucky town "were shot and wounded. They are being treated in hospital," said the acting chief of police. Louisville, Robert Schrœder, at a press conference.
Their condition was stable and their life was not a priori threatened, but one of them underwent surgery, he said, and a suspect was arrested.
The FBI office in Louisville said it is investigating.
Donald Trump prays for injured officers
Donald Trump said he was "praying for the two injured police officers" and spoke with Democratic Governor Andy Beshear, with whom he said he was ready to work.
The latter called, in a video message, the inhabitants to "go home".
"I know that these charges announced today will not satisfy everyone," he admitted, admitting to having had "a difficult discussion" with the family of Breonna Taylor.
Police officer Brett Hankison showed up at an area jail, local media reports, and was released after paying bail of $ 15,000, a very low sum compared to other similar cases.
Dismissed by the Louisville police in June, he faces up to fifteen years in prison.
"Shame"
According to lawyer Ben Crump, this is "a new example of lack of responsibility for the genocide of people of color perpetrated by police".
"It is ironic and typical that the only charges in this case relate to shots fired in the apartment of a white neighbor", while a person of color was killed, he said. added.
Many Democratic officials denounced Wednesday's decision, like Senator Bernie Sanders calling it "shame".
Donald Trump's presidential opponent Joe Biden said he "understands the frustration" but at the same time called for calm: "Violence is never acceptable," he said in a statement .
With AFP
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