Police brutality & deaths in police custody

[Cookie Tray]

@(you need an account to see links) lol Yes, from a few sentences written on a game forum you know exactly what sort of person I am.
That is being a very sensible person. Do not try to belittle my intelligence just because I have a different opinion.
I am a minority that this country discriminates on a daily basis but I still don't condone violence and infringing on
other people's rights just because mine are being violated.

It is sensible and if you were an informed member of any minority community you would understand why. If you're talking about being gay, that's still nothing compared to being Black because gay Black people exist and experience violence on a level you never will. And you are obviously not the only person who experiences oppression here. If you do not want to address everything I've already said prior to this, and reflect on yourself, I have nothing further to say to you. You cannot educate a person who wishes to remain blissfully ignorant.

[Cookie Tray]

Currently watching livestreams in Kentucky (Louisville) and it's amazing what organizers are doing around this country. To see protesters working as a unit, taking care of each other, passing out food and drinks to make sure everybody is taken care of, is so beautiful. This is how the entire country should run. If anyone here on ck has been supporting protesters, donating, helping with radio communication, or marching in the streets, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. In a few weeks when I've recovered from a minor health issue I plan to march with my community but until then I've donated as much as I absolutely can. I've been training with organizers to continue scanning police radio to warn protesters of incoming Nat. Guard and riot police. I know not everybody can do this but if you are able to I urge you to seek out sources that are vetted and find local organizations to donate to, if not donate your skills to organizers who can use it!

[♥ PrettySarcastic ♥]

I've done a little pruning here because some tempers were getting a little hot.

If I removed something you said, it's because you were rather unkind to another member of this forum and it was a gentle reminder that we should aspire to be better people and be kind to one another.

If you are here to argue or start a fight, please just click the back button right now.

If you are here to contribute, share, or learn, please continue.

But I'm not going to tolerate any further attacks in what was previously a very peaceful and meaningful discourse that Mama Bear started on a really important subject.

PS -- If you want to argue about whether something is a "protest or a riot," then you're welcome to go over and create a new thread in the Debate forum -- but you darn well better be respectful to one another there too.

[motherfucker]

I have not seen a photo of him with milk on his face.
If you're talking about the one on his Instagram, I am quite positive that's what pepperspray looks like.

I have been informed by a very good source that pepper spray and mace can look milky.
Upon investigation by said source, that actually appears to be tear gas powder on the Senator’s face.

If you look close enough you can see what looks like a powdery residue.

I’ve re-read the senator’s post and he does confirm that he was pepper sprayed and doesn’t mention being tear gassed, so we can agree to disagree.

[♥ PrettySarcastic ♥]

The thing about pepper spray is that apparently even it can kill someone.



This isn't even protest related, but it's from today.

And police are literally seen grabbing masks from people's faces to make sure they direct pepper spray point blank into their eyes/nose/mouth.

I can't even process this stuff lately.

[Cookie Tray]

The thing about pepper spray is that apparently even it can kill someone.



This isn't even protest related, but it's from today.

And police are literally seen grabbing masks from people's faces to make sure they direct pepper spray point blank into their eyes/nose/mouth.

I can't even process this stuff lately.

Yes, pepper spray and tear gas can both be lethal especially to anyone with pre-existing medical conditions. The "rubber" bullets, 40mms, they use are just as deadly. It's atrocious. It may seem unrelated to protests but part of the call to defund and abolish police includes abolishing prison, because racist policing goes hand-in-hand with private prisons. Human rights violations are happening throughout the entire process.

If you're having a hard time processing what's been going on, take care of yourself and your emotional well-being. It is important to stay informed, but not at the expense of your mental health. Take breaks!

Thank you for moderating, I was getting a little upset and tried to de-escalate in the most calm way I could but it was clearly getting out of hand.

[I_royalty_I]

I see you are too invested in wanting to be correct that you refuse to see facts. That news post was confirmed fake news as the father and his son were already out when firefighters arrived. I have family in the exact area that so-called event took place. I have been listening to police scanners in various cities including Richmond and that is not what happened lol. Protesters blocked entire streets but made way for firetrucks. They did not set the fire.

You are not interested in learning or engaging in a conversation, just repeating your own opinions as if they are fact. I have linked you to several articles and more have been posted on this thread. You are here to play devil's advocate, and he doesn't need any. The fact you continue to call protests "riots" tells me all about where you get your information and the kind of person you are.

If there's anyone outside the US or outside of large Black communities who wishes to actually understand what is happening, I am here to help as best I can.




These stories are false. Protestors have killed nobody, and the cops that kneel or march with people are simply doing it for the PR. Immediately after the photos or videos, they have tear gassed protestors.

There are exactly 3 stories where protestors have harmed people:
-Where protestors hit the white woman in a wheelchair, because she was stabbing people outside of a Target (or Wal-Mart but I think it was Target). They were trying to disarm her. She was completely fine.
-When protestors knocked a bow-wielding white supremacist who showed up to a protest, said "All Lives Matter," and aimed to shoot protestors with his bow. He was knocked to the ground, minor head wounds but ultimately okay. There's video of this and he told media that he was jumped by two Black men and dragged out of his car. The people who were defending the protestors were in fact white.
-When protestors beat up a white man who was attacking people outside a bar in Philly I believe, with a machete that looked like a sword. He was running up on several people with the machete. He was chased off, then when the protestors turned their back, he charged at them again. They beat him up for trying to attack people several times. He posted about it the next day and was fine.

In all cases, it was white protestors protecting other protestors from people who showed up with weapons to hurt them. In other words? It was defense. No weapons were used against the people who showed up with weapons.

I won�t argue those statements because it sounds like you read a little more than I did. I definitely agree that it�s kind of pointless for somebody to show up and protest a protest, especially if you�re coming with the intent to harm.

In my opinion, the media doesn�t help to make matters any better, but that�s nothing new. I�m all for peaceful protests and bringing about change. I�m very against some of the actions of the �protestors� who are just taking away from the initial point. I�m talking about people who are burning businesses, looting stores, stealing cars and threatening to come to the suburbs and incite violence. I realize that�s not the majority, but it�s still there and in your face more than other things.

In the midst of all this, I�m genuinely curious what a favorable outcome will be. Firing officers who act with unnecessary violence would be one step that should have been taken already. Beyond that, I�m not sure what majors changes would be necessary to alleviate things. This is an issue that has present forever, racial inequality. You�ve got China over there saying America is a failed state and the only true way to handle it is an iron fisted, one party system. I don�t see that as effective solution at all but I�m not sure what the right move would be from here from people with the power to make change materialize.

[motherfucker]

The thing about pepper spray is that apparently even it can kill someone.



This isn't even protest related, but it's from today.

And police are literally seen grabbing masks from people's faces to make sure they direct pepper spray point blank into their eyes/nose/mouth.

I can't even process this stuff lately.

The mask grabbing is absolutely unacceptable. While the pandemic is going on, anyone fucking around with someone else's mask or PPE has been heavily charged (in Canada).

(Not that the rest of this isn't unacceptable... This just pushes it even further)

[Cookie Tray]

I won’t argue those statements because it sounds like you read a little more than I did. I definitely agree that it’s kind of pointless for somebody to show up and protest a protest, especially if you’re coming with the intent to harm.

In my opinion, the media doesn’t help to make matters any better, but that’s nothing new. I’m all for peaceful protests and bringing about change. I’m very against some of the actions of the “protestors” who are just taking away from the initial point. I’m talking about people who are burning businesses, looting stores, stealing cars and threatening to come to the suburbs and incite violence. I realize that’s not the majority, but it’s still there and in your face more than other things.

In the midst of all this, I’m genuinely curious what a favorable outcome will be. Firing officers who act with unnecessary violence would be one step that should have been taken already. Beyond that, I’m not sure what majors changes would be necessary to alleviate things. This is an issue that has present forever, racial inequality. You’ve got China over there saying America is a failed state and the only true way to handle it is an iron fisted, one party system. I don’t see that as effective solution at all but I’m not sure what the right move would be from here from people with the power to make change materialize.

The most favorable outcome is abolition of police (and by extension, prison, and the judicial system). It's most def not an easy solution... in fact, it's the most difficult one to obtain. There are so many powerful hands mixed up in covering up police brutality and trying to push a narrative of "only peaceful protesters deserve rights" and maintaining the status quo of America. The media is heavily invested in this and that's why you'll see legitimately faked news (such as the 'child in building on fire' story and the Rolex store story). It will take years if not decades, to actually achieve this. Some people think reform is possible, but all the measures of "reform" being called for have already been implemented in some way since the 60s and have been proven not to work. People will fundamentally disagree just because they don't understand that other systems can, and have, exist. The government does not want to defund the police and military, which is why in the next few days you'll see attempts to placate the masses by cutting budgets and arresting some officers. LA county slashed the LAPD budget by a few million dollars... out of 3 billion... and expect us to cheer. They arrested the 4 cops involved in George Floyd's murder, but what about all those that killed hundreds of people just from 2014 til now? What about those who kill people that DON'T get mass coverage? Simply arresting police and putting them through the same judicial system that allows them to murder in the first place is almost like a slap in the face. NYC actually EXTENDED their curfew and made it more strict.

I'm certainly not very educated in police and prison abolition, as it's something I only started to learn about in the last couple of years. Like many others I never even considered the fact that it was an option. I'm starting to do more readings especially by Angela Davis ("Are Prisons Obsolete?" and "Abolition Democracy" as well as her autobiography) because it's the easiest to read for someone like me who can't afford higher education. A lot of recommended resources and readings are VERY academic and less practical so it's been a slow road in learning, but if anyone wants to DM me for links to books and PDFs there are a lot I can link to.

The second most favorable outcome would be to defund the military and police, since it's the first step in the latter outcome lol.

I used to think about what the right move from people with the power to make change is. I focused a lot of time and energy on voting and learning about politics as best I could. Eventually, I learned that everybody in the US has the power to make change, and that we can't rely on the systems we were taught to trust so much. Our government is supposed to represent us and our needs, not make us beg for half-decent treatment. Representatives, laws, and political figures have not made the changes necessary for decades. That's why the Black Panthers existed in the first place: direct action is something we can do, NOW, that makes a huge difference in so many lives. Our communities continue to suffer while we wait around, twiddling our thumbs, waiting for the parties to work out the most popular methods enabling of inequality. Many of us involved in direct action and mutual aid groups dedicate our time and skills to our communities by creating community gardens, educating youth, providing affordable if not free housing, private free transport systems, teaching self-defense, running health clinics, giving free legal counsel, etc. Sharing resources and working side-by-side with each other makes a community stronger, and you meet a lot of amazing people along the way.

In the meantime, people must unlearn all of the "independence, rely on only yourself" brainwashing we've been put through and return to community-supported living. I wouldn't even be alive today if not for the help and care of my community who helped raise me as well as the community I live in now, who helped feed and shelter me, or even online communities like CK. Humans were always meant to take care of each other, and it's okay to ask for help when you need it. Even if you're doing something seemingly small like talking to a friend online who is in a rough mental state, or asking your neighbors if they need anything, you're actively working against the bootstraps mentality that's nailed into us.

Sorry for rambling. All injustice and inequality is tied together in the US, whether it's bc of race, class, disability, gender, sexual orientation, etc. None of it is separated from each other so it's important to keep informed.


Also, I've been mentioning a lot of events and videos but couldn't find links to them as I was posting, but I just found (you need an account to see links) (if you're in the US, protect your privacy: open on private browser or logged out of Google if possible) of videos all containing video evidence of police brutality JUST in the past 6 days. Mostly it's in the USA, but a handful were in Canada as well. Obligatory content warning: police brutality and violence. At the time of this there are 251 separate acts listed and archived and more are coming.

In slightly better news, there were significantly less acts of violence carried out by police last night than in previous nights of protesting?

[I_royalty_I]

@(you need an account to see links) - thanks for your post. I appreciate being able to see things from other points of view. I will say I am a bit confused how abolition of police and defunding police/military is the most favorable outcome though. What takes the place if those two things were to go away? I have heard that argument before and posed the question similar to - what happens when you need help? What happens when a crime is committed and there is nobody there to look into it or hold those accountable because they are defunded? That’s the part I don’t understand.

Yes the actions taken by some police officers is absolutely ridiculous and needs to be rectified, but that’s not the majority. Just like the majority of protestors aren’t out to incite violence or loot/burn businesses; the majority of cops aren’t out to kill and cause other injustice to black people - or anybody else for that matter.

Perhaps an overhaul and stricter, swifter punishments for those who overstep the first time, would be better. There needs to be some form of authority as this is not utopia. I think the issue runs deeper than cops vs citizens as well, and this change won’t happen overnight.

i used to be more closed minded and bias, but then I experience more in the world. Talked to new people, hung out in different groups. If you expose yourself to more than what you’re used to, what you’ve always known, then you’ll see that people are mostly the same. Everybody wants the same things, similar goals, aspirations. I think it’s the bad apples that ruin things for the rest of the population. Perhaps if we crack down harder on them, it would allow the better people to shine through.