BREAKING: According to court records, Derek Chauvin’s charges of 3rd Degree Murder and 2nd Degree Manslaughter have been upgraded to 2nd Degree Murder. The other three officers at the scene of the crime will also face charges.
This is a developing story, more information to come.
George Floyd, 46, was the victim of a recurring issue in the United States – police brutality, more so focused on people of color. On May 25th, police responded to an apparent incident of an attempt to make a purchase with a fraudulent $20 bill. In a now widely seen bystander video, former officer Derek Chauvin was viewed restricting Floyd’s breathing with his knee firmly postured on the victim’s neck, as onlookers expressed concern that Floyd was in extreme distress – the desperate cries of “I can’t breathe,” and Floyd calling out for his mother fell on deaf ears as he lost consciousness. Chauvin continued to keep his knee against Floyd’s neck, even after he stopped moving. George Floyd passed away shortly thereafter.
Chauvin, Thao, Lane and Keung were fired from the police department, however, protests and outrage over yet another Black man lost to police brutality sparked movements across the country and has brought to the forefront the #BlackLivesMatter initiative into the consciousness of citizens once again, protesting the fact that being fired isn’t enough and that they must answer to their crimes like every other citizen in this country.
In a country that is already polarized, it has been once again left up to the people to rise up and demand change. There has been no reassurance of change from the leader of the United States, as Trump has seemingly pointed towards using brute force against those rallying for change and encouraging use of force against members of the press, perpetuating and delaying any sort of useful and lasting plan for real, actual change.
We are, however, in what some call a spiritual awakening. There is a disturbance to the way that things used to be. This is only the beginning and it is going to take a lot more to make right the injustice and fear that has been inflicted upon the Black community. As a people, they have been among the most mistreated and abused throughout history and it needs to stop. Not just with words, anymore.
There are a lot of great resources out there and opportunities to make a positive change for the cause. Click the link below to sign a petition, find organized peaceful protests in your area, and share these with loved ones, friends, and to everyone. There will be a time of peace again, but it’s not a time to settle for less than what the Black communities in the United States deserve. Not anymore.
#BlackLivesMatter
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