|
The Minnesota Black Media Discuss the Protests Surrounding
the Floyd Killing
By Tricia Hall
Sojourner’s Truth Reporter
In response to protests the National Newspapers Publishers
Association (NNPA) organized a Facebook live discussion
about the reason for the protests in Minneapolis. Stacy
Brown, NNPA senior correspondent, facilitated the 60-minute
conversation with the representatives of two Minnesota
black-owned newspapers: Mel Reeves, editor of Minnesota
Spokesman and Al McFarlane, editor of Insight News.
“I want to say thank you to Mel and Al, for your leadership
in Minneapolis and St. Paul area.
Your newspapers are the voice of the black community there.
In the midst of a pandemic we are also dealing with an
epidemic of racism, white supremist, and police brutality.
The eyes of the world are on Minneapolis,” said Benjamin
Chavis Jr., PhD, NNPA president and CEO.
The death of George Floyd while in police custody on May 25,
2020, is well known because of the video recording of the
situation. The video captured then-police officer Derek
Chauvin kneeling on the neck of Floyd, an African American
male in Minneapolis who was handcuffed. In days since the
video’s release, protests have been held in more than 75
cities around the U.S. including Atlanta, Denver, Los
Angeles, New York City, Miami, Phoenix, Seattle, Charlotte,
Washington, D.C, Columbus, Cleveland, Flint, Detroit and,
this past weekend, in Toledo. The black media and mainstream
media have reported extensively on the disruption and injury
that has occurred in Minneapolis since the May 25 incident.
“You can see it all over social media. The people are upset.
The National Guard has been called out and are rolling down
our streets. People are still protesting and are outraged,”
explained McFarlane.
“In Minneapolis, the people are outraged because of the
murder of George Floyd in the hands of Minneapolis police
officer. I think Minneapolis ordinary people are focused on
the deed that caused this unrest,” added Reeves.
In the days following the first protests Chauvin was fired
from the police department, arrested, charged with
third-degree murder and manslaughter, and bail set at
$500,000. “This was an intentional homicide and that’s why
it’s spilling over to other cities in our country. All
people should be outraged. We want a new normal that gets
rid of injustice, racism and health disparities,” said
Chavis.
The panel shifted the discussion to the events surrounding
Floyd’s death, why his death caused protests in various
cities, and the inaction of the individuals who filmed or
watched on that May 25 day.
“It was difficult for me to watch, but people have to make
that choice to act or not for themselves. There will be a
time when people won’t stop and watch anymore, which is
already starting to happen. People are losing their fear and
those people that didn’t stop George Floyd’s death feel
terrible. Everyone has to decide what to do with their own
life because if you interfere with police business you could
lose your own life,” said Reeves.
|
Stacy Brown
Mel Reeves
Al McFarlane
Benjamin Chavis Jr., PhD, |
|
“The fix is in and people are outraged that there were four
officers involved and only one arrest to date. One down and
three more to go. Even the nature of the charges is light,
the charge implies that the death was unintentional. What we
saw on that video was intentional. I salute the people who
videotaped, it took courage. We dare now to videotape what
has always happened in front of us,” said Chavis.
The recent death of Floyd has been linked to a similar
deaths of unarmed African Americans at the hands of police
officers or vigilantes. In 2014 Michael Brown was shot by an
officer in Ferguson, Missouri; and Eric Garner was crushed
by New York City officers in Eric Garner and repeated the
phrase ‘I can’t breathe.”
In 2015 Freddie Gray died from a broken neck in the back of
a police vehicle in Baltimore, Sandra Bland’s suspicious
death in a jail cell, and Jamar Clark was killed by
Minneapolis police. In 2016 Philando Castile was fatally
shot by police during a Minnesota traffic stop and Alton
Sterling was shot by two officers in Baton Rouge. In 2020
Ahmaud Arbery’s accusers were charged with murder earlier
this month and Breonna Taylor was killed after police
entered her home with a no-knock warrant.
“We live up-South, we have Southern conditions here. Black
people here are treated like second class citizens. Hennepin
County attorney office during the term of Amy Klobuchar, she
accelerated imprisonment of juveniles as adults and locked
up a lot of young people from our community,” said Reeves.
According to a CBS report, the Twin Cities of
Minneapolis/St. Paul has ranked as one of the worse urban
areas for African Americans at least six times in the past
decade. The report combined data from the U.S. Census, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the
Bureau of Justice Statistics concluded that black households
earn $34,174 annually verse white households earning $78,706
annually. The report also concluded that 10 percent of
African Americans are unemployed in the Twin Cities while
only three percent of whites are unemployed. The Facebook
panel discussion linked the report findings to examples of
questionable indictment, conviction rates of police and
police conduct.
“The current county attorney Mike Freeman has taunted the
community when he found police killings as justified. That
guy might as well be Bull Conner, he dresses nice like a
decent human being but when it comes to us, he is not. He
locks us up and he needs no evidence. He even talked on the
news that he indicts cops all the time, which is a
half-truth. He has never charged or indicted a white police
officer for killing a human being. He has never done that.
He did indict a black officer for killing a white woman. The
reason why this officer is charged with third degree murder
is because that’s his habit. The protests are the only
reason why he was even charged. Jamar Clark was shot in
front of witnesses in his head while he was handcuffed. The
officers got away with it. The reason why the kids are
tearing down stuff is because they have been disrespected in
the streets of this city daily. This city might be well be
an old city from the South and they hide that fact very
well,” explained Reeves.
“We have to remember that for millions of Americans being
treated differently on account of race is tragically,
painfully, maddeningly ‘normal.’ Whether it’s while dealing
with the healthcare system, or interacting with the criminal
justice system, or jogging down the street or just watching
birds in the park,” shared former President Barack Obama in
his statement on the Floyd murder.
|
