
35 Pics Showing The Other Side Of The George Floyd Protests That The Mainstream Media Is Reluctant To Share
Protests have erupted all over the US over the death of George Floyd. Cities are imposing curfews and states are activating National Guard members to calm down the demonstrators but they continue to express pain and anger with chants, signs and outbreaks of violence.
And while many questions, like what's going to happen to the police officers involved in the incident, are still unanswered, one thing is certain: the demands for justice and an end to police brutality against African Americans have united the entire country and people of all backgrounds are taking a knee together.
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A Group Of Black People Protecting A Cop Who Got Separated From The Others
Based on accounts from witnesses, video footage, and official statements, here's what the public knows about Mr. Floyd's death so far.
Everything began with a report of a fake $20 bill. A report was made on the evening of the 25th of May, when Mr. Floyd bought a pack of cigarettes from a grocery store. The store employee thought the $20 bill Mr. Floyd paid with was counterfeit and reported it to police.
Mr. Floyd had been living in Minneapolis for several years after. He had recently been working as a bouncer but just like so many other Americans became unemployed during the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr. Floyd was a regular at Cup Foods, the grocery store where he tried to buy the cigarettes. Mike Abumayyaleh, the owner of the store, told NBC that Mr. Floyd was a friendly face and a pleasant customer who never caused any trouble. But Mr. Abumayyaleh wasn't working that day.
A Veteran Protesting His Government After Fighting For It Shows The United Fight For Equality
At around 20:08, two police officers arrived at the scene. Mr. Floyd was sitting in a car parked around the corner with two other people.
After approaching them, one of the officers, Thomas Lane, pulled out his gun and ordered Mr. Floyd to show his hands. In an account of the incident, prosecutors didn't explain why Mr. Lane thought it necessary to draw his gun.
According to the prosecutors, Mr. Lane "put his hands on Mr. Floyd, and pulled him out of the car". Then Mr. Floyd began actively resisting handcuffs.
A Protester And A Police Officer Today In Fargo. This Is What Solidarity Looks Like
Once handcuffed, however, Mr. Floyd became compliant and Mr. Lane explained that he was being arrested for "passing counterfeit currency".
But when officers tried to put Mr. Floyd in their squad car, a struggle erupted.
At around 20:14, Mr. Floyd "stiffened up, fell to the ground, and told the officers he was claustrophobic", a transcript released by authorities explained.
Mr. Chauvin arrived at the scene. He and other officers were involved in further attempts to get Mr. Floyd in the police car.
It’s Not White vs. Black, Rich vs. Poor, Police vs. Citizens....it’s Everyone vs. Racists
At 20:19, Mr. Chauvin pulled Mr. Floyd out of the passenger side, causing the man to fall to the ground.
As he lay there, face down, still in handcuffs, witnesses started to film Mr. Floyd. He appeared to be in a distressed state. These moments, captured on multiple mobile phones and shared widely on social media, were Mr. Floyd's last.
As officers were restraining Mr. Floyd, Mr. Chauvin placed his left knee between his head and neck.
"I can't breathe," Mr. Floyd said repeated, pleading for his mother and begging "please, please, please".
Mr. Chauvin kept his knee on Mr. Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.
My 6yr Old Daughter, She Sees Whats On The News, We Explained What Happened To George Floyd And She Was Mortified. Today She Made A Sign And Is Doing Her Own Peaceful Protest In Our Front Yard. I Am So Proud!
About 6 minutes into that period, Mr. Floyd became non-responsive. It was approximately then when Mr. Floyd fell silent and bystanders urged the officers to check his pulse.
One of the other officers, JA Kueng, did exactly that and said he "couldn't find one". But the officers did not move.
At 20:27, Mr. Chauvin removed his knee from Mr. Floyd's neck. He was taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center in an ambulance and was pronounced dead around an hour later.
From The Raleigh Protest
On Friday, Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman charged Mr. Chauvin with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. His bail has been set at $500,000.
Mr. Floyd's family and their attorney, Benjamin Crump, are upset that Mr. Chauvin wasn't charged with a more serious offense.
"We expected a first-degree murder charge. We want a first-degree murder charge. And we want to see the other officers arrested," Crump and the family said in a statement. "We call on authorities to revise the charges to reflect the true culpability of this officer."
If convicted of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, Mr. Chauvin would be facing up to 25 years in prison on the first charge and up to 10 years on the second.
Mr. Freeman said charges against the other three officers are likely.
Portland, Oregon. Police Demonstrating And Trying To Show They Hear And Understand The Frustration.
Take out the "only" and I'll agree with you. The president is 100% a blatant racist but he's far from the only one. The problems wouldn't be as deep-seated if millions of people weren't just fine with hundreds of years of suppression and lynching of black folks. It's shameful.
Load More Replies...it breaks my heart to see how divided our country has become. After 82 years of living, I don't feel we have become anymore civilized. It is so sad. We have got to do better.
The US isn't more divided now than in the past, the difference is that it is actually getting better, more people care when they see a total wrong like this. Decades ago this kind of police activity still happened but it was not talked about, it was not widely condoned. Change is happening, it's just slow sometimes, and piecemeal but it is happening. Just have to keep shouting and fighting injustice, no matter how tired one becomes.
Load More Replies...I wish. But our voting systems are also corrupt. Voter suppression, dropping off the roles, and machines that can be hacked. We should vote anyway. And get wise and try to fix the system.
Load More Replies...sure they kneeled, but 3 short hours later they hit the crowd with flashbangs, rubber bullets and gas for getting them wet.
Were they ordered to and had to reluctantly? Genuine question. The narrative around how things happen is important.
Load More Replies...This is amazing to see!!!! Humans standing / kneeling in solidarity regardless of ethnicity!!! This is what is needed!
Stuff like this is cool...but what we actually need the good guys to do is *intervene* and *report* when a fellow officer uses excessive force.
that happened, all four cops who were at the stop were fired, the on who was party to the manslaughter (murder requires pre-meditation) is charged accordingly to the crime after a four day investigation and his wife divorced him, though some say because she was wrongfully getting death threats
Load More Replies...Made me tear up. There is something extremely powerful in them taking a knee and openly apologizing with this gesture for the people in their ranks who have abused their power and brought shame upon them. It's a silent but powerful gesture to show that they stand united with the protesters.
This is how it should be! Officers of the law should bee seen as good people too. A few dishonest corrupt racist does not outnumber the honest good officers doing their best to uphold the law with out violence.
this was a sad and sick photo opportunity, did you know that 40 minuets after these pictures where taken , those same cops kneeling put on gas masks and pepper sprayed people who where peacefully standing there .
I cried so hard for George Floyd, but today I felt that there is still hope in humanity
Why are only cops kneeling? I like to see “all” kneeling in unity.🥴
This one makes me cry! Humans can solve this problem! We’re smarter than all this acting out!
I applaud these officers for having the dignity and courage to kneel and show respect in a time when the president is cultivating a culture of racism. Rodney King, Martin Luther King as a nation it’s absolutely embarrassing, and sickening that we could go backwards in the treatment of each other. Why is it so hard for some people to respect each other? We’re all made of the same atoms ⚛️
In Truth, what are you AFRAID of ? Is this not the job you always wanted to do....spread the JUSTICE... WOULDN'T BE AS NICE TO DO IT RIGHT? Because what you are afraid of is always following you... dear policemen.... Love you all*
Not all cops are racist for sure , Im mixed race but had a white cop for a husband, good guy but useless husband :-)
Isn't this a great show of tolerance and humility -wow thank you Lord for showing and sharing this side of humanity at work.
Mr Trump...take note...this is how you answer the people who are hurt, angry and afraid of the very people they pay "to protect and serve" them. That all are created equal in the land of the free means ( in my mind) just because you have a tin badge you do not get to behave as though you don't have to answer for your actions. An accusation is not proof that a crime was committed and that until proven otherwise, Mr Floyd was an innocent man. Unbelievably Mr Floyd who was by the laws of the land an innocent man, sat in a car chatting with friends and was then murdered and the murderer committed the crime with one hand in his pocket and a smirk on his face. Sorry if my comment is a bit disjointed but I'm so beyond angry that this keeps happening It's the 21st century why is this still happening????
what... does that have to do with trump? police don't answer to him/
Load More Replies...This is BS. Police are wearing riot helmets, fully armed, and carry bully sticks. An hour later they were tear gassing protestors.
Yeah but right after this they sent tear gas into the crowd... so they want you to see this picture and not what really happened
You see gretel S down there, so glad they have -2000 points
“To protect and serve. As Knights of the realm. Protector of the innocent. Guardian of the weak. Supervise the strong both whom have good and evil intent. Do you swear? To serve and protect.” To kneel to a crowd is not out of fear, nor out of spite to become a figure of power over ones people. But to be reminded to all that you, who can direct power and justice, shall serve and protect. No more. No less.
The president's would be glad to have Mr. Chauvin as one of his followers.
On a pro trump page I read, they characterized this conduct as "cowardly", and obeisance to criminals". Not only is it right, and brave? It is a reminder of who is supposed to be working for whom.
You are forgetting the Indian tribes, chinese, japanese, irish and child labor. Study real history
Actually, after these photos were taken, the cops tear gassed them
🐂💩 the president isn't a racist stop believing those DeMonscrats passing the lies along. They're mad money stealing has stopped.
10 minutes later, the same cops tear-gassed the peaceful protesters. All of these feel-good pictures are PR stunts by the cops to get exactly this reaction.
It might be just that, but some HOPE has never done any harm, has it? :-)
Load More Replies...I find these cops taking a knee particularly moving. How symbolic this gesture is ! Will Trump understand it, you think?
This is what protesting is all about. The majority of police officers are appalled by what happened: proof that one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch.
Just a few minutes after this photo was taken, the police tear gassed the protesters. This was a photo op to make them look good.
Even in a family of four there are fights, let alone in a country of millions. In a family, LOVE pulls us back in. If we can love one another, we can end the hatred and be ONE. If Trump sends the military in then China will send its military to Hong Kong. If the world does not stop America from involving the military then the World cannot be a hypocrite and try to stop China from obliterating Hong Kong with its military.
The vast majority of cops are caring upstanding citizens, just as in the rest of society, there's sometimes that bad one.
Shame five minutes later the police maced those same peaceful protesters
Layos Lakatos: Why is Trump racist? Probably because his father made his millions as a slumlord in New York, cheating his mostly black tenants. I'm sure Donny as a child heard racist remarks around the dinner table.
even though when trump got his inital million from his father, he immediately cut ties with his family.
Load More Replies...https://truthout.org/articles/police-attacked-protesters-after-kneeling-for-solidarity-photo-op-activists-say/
Sabse wrote 1 day ago, “Not all cops are racists. Only the President is a racist.
Yeah except 45 minutes after taking that knee they put masks on and tear gases everyone. Fuck that. They did that for this reason...a picture.
Until later when the press had gone, then they started shooting and gassing people
We hear...I believe that whoever that police man picked on that day whether, white black yellow brown tan, they would be dead as he had the power and wouldn’t let up. We’ll see how his attitude of bully and power changes when he is sentenced and goes behind bar.... that will be a good day
This is true and real. (Oh, and not the only example of what can be. Oregon
This is PDX, where I grew up. I love this town and am a part of it.
https://beta.portland.gov/wheeler/news/2020/5/30/temporary-curfew-frequently-asked-questions
In Portland we try to do things right! We are a very liberal and open minded state! Only the rednecks in the rural areas are the ones who bring us down!
Bullshit - President Trump is not a racist far from it, take ur blinders off and see that he is the only one trying to fix this country. Trump has never had a fair shake from the very beginning, I stand with my president. Trump 20/20
Corona rings a bell? You are dying over there, trump cant manage anything, in europe the shutdowns are ending cause we waited till the numbers went down, you got an exponential death curve and who isnt sick is getting problems cause youre losing your jobs, have no free healthcare or savings and a good portion needs to rely on food banks and cant pay rent and you think trump should be president for another four years, someone who tells people not to wear masks cause he to dumb for science? I am so thankful im sitting in europe.
Load More Replies...And Don't you think that for on second that I will stand to see our leader abused in this way!
Tokenistic bullshit. They are still armed to the teeth with batons, sprays, and firearms. Let them show their respects unarmed. Your cops kill more civilians in a week than most countries in a decade. If you want to remain an openly racist, gun worshiping, massacre kid killing, primitive hell hole then that's your own choice, but stop telling lies about it, because the rest of the developed and undeveloped countries are not buying your bullshit.
drop the hate, grow some kindness - the president is not against doing good
Load More Replies...N O P E. This was a photo opportunity ONLY. After they got their speakers up and the photos staged, they pulled down their masks and gassed the crowd!
Blaming the President is weak and tired. These problems were around long before him🙄
They also threw teargas on unsuspecting, peaceful protesters and hour later, so...don't believe the otics of a photo op
sure they kneeled but then 3 hours later deployed rubber bullets, tear gas and flashbangs against the same crowd.
Not moving to China since I am a proud American! I simply cannot stand the amount of hate that this president has normalized! 1 campaign full of slander and hate, plus 4 years of it to follow, has spawned this cluster fuck we are all in now. I won't abandon my country, as you suggest, that is not the answer. Nor should you want you fellow citizens to bail on our nation. Regardless of our party affiliation, we should all love thy neighbor and want the best for each other. Isn't that what a "great" America would look like? Peace and prosperity FOR ALL!!!
Load More Replies...Sabse wrote 2 days ago, “Not all cops are racists. Only the President is a racist.
Our President is not racist. There is zero evidence to attempt to facilitate this lie.
A GoFundMe campaign dedicated to George Floyd has raised more than $7 million.
George Floyd's brother, Philonise Floyd, organized the fundraiser, which is called the Official George Floyd Memorial Fund. According to the page's description, the funds will be used to cover funeral and burial expenses, grief counseling and lodging and travel for all court proceedings.
We’re Stronger Together
Now, after tens of thousands of people flooded the streets across the United States, after buildings were set on fire and businesses were looted, President Trump has criticized the unrest, and Attorney General William P. Barr warned people that contributing to the destruction could make them face federal charges. Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota said the people who are defying curfews and trying to instigate police were no longer protesting police brutality, but rather seeking to exploit Mr. Floyd’s death for their own political motives.