The world continues to watch as American citizens are out in the streets protesting against the persistent racial injustice of black people that has been prevalent in the society since its establishment. This week, the world has also watched as the American police force brutalized protestors with the use of tear gas and the firing of rubber bullets.
The actions that have been displayed by law enforcement officials with badges show the disregard for life and the disrespect of the 1st amendment in the constitution, which gives Americans the freedom to express themselves.
It comes as no surprise that the police have continued their acts of violence towards the citizens. According to a FBI report from 2006, an investigation into the police force uncovered that representatives from white supremacists’ groups had infiltrated law enforcement; however, there has been no action taken to address this critical problem.
The lack of remorse for human life not only reflects the lack of conscience displayed by the officers, but also reflects a larger problem, white supremacy.
In Richmond, Virginia, peaceful protestors gathered in front of the Robert E. Lee memorial on monument avenue at around 7:45pm on June 1. The protestors got on their knees and were chanting “don’t shoot” in front of several police officers. The peaceful protestors were later seen running in opposite directions when two cops had fired tear gas into the crowd.
#RICHMOND #VIRGINIA peaceful protest attacked. pic.twitter.com/saxfBeDkAn
— JUST ADD HAND SANITIZER (@Justiceaddwater) June 2, 2020
Another incident in Buffalo, New York saw a 75-year-old white man run up to the police officers to show them something before he was aggressively shoved violently to the ground with blood leaking from his head.
Who does this protect? pic.twitter.com/eogF5BJoit
— jordan (@JordanUhl) June 5, 2020
The video had drawn wide attention from people all across the country and it led to the resignation of 57 members from the Buffalo Police response team. The two officers involved in the shoving incident, Robert Mccabe and Aaron Torgalski, were charged with felony assault. The two officers pleaded not guilty and were released.
The uprising in America has also given the leeway for white supremacist groups and people from other ethnic racial groups to carry out attacks on protestors.
In Bakersfield, California, a white man ran named Timothy Keith Moore, ran down on an innocent black man, Robert Forbes, who was protesting with a group of people on June 3. Moore works as a journey wireman with Kinyon Construction at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Currently, Moore has not been arrested and he is allegedly being protected by the Bakersfield Police Department.
This man ran over a black protestor and the police would not put him in hand cuffs and let him stand around and smoke a cigarette and protected him. The man he hit is #RobertForbes pic.twitter.com/nJ8bQtop31
— Ø (@mvgold_) June 4, 2020
Another man in McAllen, Texas named Daniel Pena, a 44-year-old Hispanic man, was seen on video trying to violently attack Caucasian black lives matter protestors with a chainsaw, while yelling the words “don’t let them fuckin niggers fool you.” Pena was subsequently arrested and charged with four counts of deadly assault and one count of assault, according to the monitor.
Racial tension in America remains high and it seems like police officers, in addition to the other racial groups, who allegedly claim to be minority brothers in the struggle, have started to project their racism towards black society. In the midst of this chaos, the world is watching as the United States keep violating human rights with attacks on its citizens engaged in peaceful protests.
The fight for racial justice and equality continues.
