Minneapolis: Protests against US police after killing a black man – Politics

Minneapolis had been shaken by violent protests almost a year ago. The trigger was the killing of the African American Floyd during a police operation on May 25th. In the middle of the pandemic, the wave of demonstrations against racism and police violence spread across the country – and became the largest protest movement in decades.

The trial of the white ex-police officer Derek Chauvin is currently taking place in Minneapolis under massive security precautions. He is responsible for killing Floyd. The expectations are immense. Many people, probably also most blacks, hope for a verdict that will send a signal against racism and police violence – and against the fact that security forces often seem to get away with impunity. If Chauvin is acquitted or given a small prison sentence, massive protests are likely to break out again.

Chauvin is accused of pressing his knee on Floyd’s neck for around nine minutes, despite the fact that Floyd pleaded to let him breathe. The policeman, who subsequently lost his job, is charged with second-degree murder, among other things, resulting in up to 40 years in prison.

Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott called it “simply unbelievable” that another black man was killed by the police. “It couldn’t have happened at a worse time.”

In the case of Wright’s killing, Gannon showed footage of the cameras worn by the police officers (bodycams). It shows security guards attempting to handcuff Wright. Wright loosens his grip and gets back into his car. A policewoman shouts “Taser, Taser, Taser” but has a gun in her hand. A shot appears to go off the gun before Wright drives away. “Holy shit, I just shot him,” says the terrified-looking policewoman.

The officer was released while the investigation was ongoing, Gannon said before the two resignations were announced. The police checked the unarmed suspect because his car had expired. When checking his personal details, they found that there was an arrest warrant. Wright drove several blocks and then collided with another vehicle. According to the autopsy, he died from a gunshot wound to the chest.

Commenting on Wright’s death, US President Joe Biden said: “The question is whether it was an accident or on purpose. That has to be clarified.” He showed understanding for people’s anger. “Peaceful protest is understandable,” said Biden. But there is “absolutely no justification” for violence. The democrat has made the fight against racism one of his central concerns. He’s also campaigning for a police reform bill named after George Floyd to be passed, but Senate Republicans are likely to stonewall.

More than 150 years after the abolition of slavery and a good five decades after full legal equality for blacks, there is still a lot of catching up to do on the issue of racism. The structural disadvantage of the minority, which makes up around 13 percent of the population, has many facets: Blacks live less long on average, are less well educated and much poorer than whites. They are also much more likely to be victims of police violence.

Another case only caused outrage at the weekend: A video showed two police officers harassing a black lieutenant in the US armed forces during a traffic check. An officer used irritant gas. The police in Windsor, Virginia fired the officer and the state opened an investigation.

The presenter of the popular US television program “Daily Show”, the South African comedian Trevor Noah, summed up the criticism of many blacks on Monday evening: The police do not care whether you are a member of the military or simply a valued member of the black community. “They don’t care because they know they can get away with it. And until that changes, they won’t care.”

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