New York police intervened in the Brooklyn district on Wednesday during a protest against police violence and racism, CNN television reports and according to images circulating on social media. The peaceful march was stopped by police officers.
The town’s police commissioner explained that several people had been arrested for demonstrating despite the curfew. “They are less numerous than in recent days, but the evening is still long.”
On Wednesday noon (local time), Commissioner Dermot Shea spoke of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. “I think any man with a conscience would be angry about it. We support and empathize with the Floyd family. It wasn’t the first time this had happened, but let’s hope it was the last ”.
In other cities too, there were numerous demonstrations on Wednesday. Protest rallies and marches took place in Washington, Seattle, St. Charles, Philadelphia and San Francisco, where there were again demonstrators on horseback.
In Washington, many police and members of the National Guard are present. The protest is peaceful, but many activists are not yet ready to leave, although the curfew is about to begin.
Three far-right activists indicted for “incitement to violence”
Three far-right activists were indicted on Wednesday in Las Vegas on charges of inciting violence during peaceful protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, which they wanted to use to create disorder, local authorities said.
According to the services of the federal attorney of Nevada, Nicholas Trutanich, the three men belonged to the movement “Boogaloo”, “a term used by the extremists who promote the civil war and the fall of the society”, and were notably in possession of a Molotov cocktail.
“Violent actors have hijacked peaceful protests across the country, including Nevada, exploiting the real and legitimate anger over Mr. Floyd’s death in the service of their extremist aims,” prosecutor Trutanich said in a statement.
Stephen T. Parshall, 35, Andrew Lynam, 23, and William L. Loomis, 40, all reside in Las Vegas where they were arrested on May 30 by an anti-terrorist unit headed by the FBI, the US Federal Police. .
According to the American media, far-right activists, sometimes heavily armed, have infiltrated numerous demonstrations organized over the past week to protest against the death of George Floyd and more broadly police violence and racial discrimination.
Many of these activists identify with the “Boogaloo” movement and have adopted Hawaiian shirts, among other things, as a sign of recognition.
The specialists of these groups, quoted in particular by the Washington Post, wonder about the role which could have played some of these militants in the outbreak of the violence which set ablaze dozens of American cities in recent days.
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Jimmy Carter: “Racial injustices undermine democracy”
Former US President Jimmy Carter on Wednesday denounced “tragic racial injustices” and acts of “outright cruelty” that “undermine” American democracy.
The former Democratic President (1977-1981) said in a statement to be with his wife, “dismayed by the tragic racial injustices”.
“We are wholeheartedly with the families of the victims and all those who feel desperate in the face of pervasive racial discrimination and outright cruelty,” wrote Jimmy Carter, 95.
“People in positions of power, privilege and moral conscience must resist and say ‘enough is enough’ to discriminate police and justice system, immoral economic inequalities between whites and blacks, and public actions that undermine our united democracy ”.
“We need a government that is as good as its people, and we are better than that,” he added.
Barack Obama: “There is a change in mentality that is underway”
Barack Obama on Wednesday called on all mayors in the United States to review and reform, in collaboration with local communities, policies relating to the use of force by their police forces. The former US president spoke at an event live from his home in Chicago. This is the first time he has spoken on television about the unrest that erupted in the United States after the death of George Floyd, a black man suffocated on May 25 by a white police officer during his arrest.
“It is very important for us to seize this moment that has just been created as a society, as a country, and to use that to finally have an impact,” said Barack Obama during a video conference with activists, referring to the thousands of people who took to the streets to denounce police brutality, racism and social inequalities.
“There is a change of mindset that is underway, a greater awareness that we can do better,” he added.
Barack Obama, 58, who remains very popular with Democrats, said the current protests painted “a much more representative picture of America” than the civil rights movements of the 1960s.
Young people have particularly responded, and their motivation could inspire deeper change, said Obama.
“I want you to know that you matter. I want you to know that your lives matter, your dreams matter, ”he continued, for the attention of young black people in the country who, according to him, have been too many witnesses or victims of violence.
The former president also addressed local elected officials. “I urge every mayor in this country to review their policies on the use of force with members of their community and to commit to being held accountable for the promised reforms,” he said.
“We need mayors, officials and others in positions of power to say: this is a priority,” Obama said. The former Democratic president called the current public outcry in the United States over police brutality and racism one of the “deepest” things he has known so far.
He didn’t say a word about President Donald Trump, however, and also adopted an optimistic tone about the protests, despite the anger and despair that he says are often behind them. “I hope you are also feeling hopeful, even though you are angry, because you have the power to make things better and you have helped make the whole country feel like it is something. that must change, ”Barack Obama said.
The first black president of the United States called for cooperation between individuals to “change America” and help it conform to its values.
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