In 2019, over 1,000 people were killed by police officers. Black people made up 25% of those who were killed in 2019 by police. Black people have a higher risk of being killed by cops than white people. Things as simple as a traffic stop or playing with a toy gun turn into the lynching of a Black person by a police officer with little to no consequence.
As a Black man, watching another Black man beg for his last breaths feels me with anger and sadness. In the case of George Floyd, the officer present was not needed, and neither were the other three as well. As two police officers were putting force on his back, another one was putting force on his neck, restricting his breathing
Since then, protests and riots have begun all across the nation, and no one, (racists) seems to care to acknowledge police brutality until looting and rioting starts. Every way we protest is a problem to them. Taking a knee during the national anthem was too much. According to them, it's disrespectful. Peaceful protests are controlled by the same police that use excessive force on Black people everyday a slap in the face to the protesters. They are attending protest that are about them. Rioting and looting comes when people don’t see change. As a black its important that you do what you believe is right and stand for something and demand change.
In a personal experience I had, a police officer in Kenner, Louisiana told me, “If he runs from you, you have three free hits when you catch him.” As if the punches are a reward for catching a suspect. Police take advantage of the fact that you are restricted and in handcuffs. You have no way to defend yourself from police they will take those chances to use excessive force on their suspect.
I do not think that rioting or looting is right and I am not condoning it, but we are running out of options. We cannot fix a problem that we did not create. The entity of the police force began as slave catchers. Their origin is racist.
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