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[[File:Minneapolis George Floyd protests.png|thumb|Riot cops in Minneapolis during the protests]] | [[File:Minneapolis George Floyd protests.png|thumb|Riot cops in Minneapolis during the protests]] | ||
The '''George Floyd protests''' were a series of protests and riots in the [[United States of America|United States]] lasting from May to July 2020. The protests began after a white police officer murdered [[George Floyd]], an unarmed New Afrikan, on May 25, 2020 in [[Minneapolis]]. Protests began the next day and the Minneapolis 3rd Precinct was burned down on May 28. The majority of people in the U.S. believed burning down the police station was justified.<ref>{{News citation|author=Matthew Impelli|newspaper=Newsweek|title=54 Percent of Americans Think Burning Down Minneapolis Police Precinct Was Justified After George Floyd's Death|date=2020-06-03|url=https://www.newsweek.com/54-americans-think-burning-down-minneapolis-police-precinct-was-justified-after-george-floyds-1508452|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510134117/https://www.newsweek.com/54-americans-think-burning-down-minneapolis-police-precinct-was-justified-after-george-floyds-1508452|archive-date=2022-05-10|retrieved=2022-06-06}}</ref> At least 28 people died in the protests and over 16,000 were arrested.<ref name=":2">{{News citation|author=Arturo Castillon, Shemon Salam|newspaper=[[Monthly Review]]|title=The Revolutionary Meaning of the George Floyd Uprising|date=2021-04-19|url=https://mronline.org/2021/04/19/the-revolutionary-meaning-of-the-george-floyd-uprising/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614004424/https://mronline.org/2021/04/19/the-revolutionary-meaning-of-the-george-floyd-uprising/|archive-date=2022-06-14|retrieved=2022-06-17}}</ref> | The '''George Floyd protests''' were a series of protests and riots beginning in the [[United States of America|United States]] lasting from May to July 2020. The protests began after a white police officer murdered [[George Floyd]], an unarmed New Afrikan, on May 25, 2020 in [[Minneapolis]]. Protests began the next day and the Minneapolis 3rd Precinct was burned down on May 28. The majority of people in the U.S. believed burning down the police station was justified.<ref>{{News citation|author=Matthew Impelli|newspaper=Newsweek|title=54 Percent of Americans Think Burning Down Minneapolis Police Precinct Was Justified After George Floyd's Death|date=2020-06-03|url=https://www.newsweek.com/54-americans-think-burning-down-minneapolis-police-precinct-was-justified-after-george-floyds-1508452|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510134117/https://www.newsweek.com/54-americans-think-burning-down-minneapolis-police-precinct-was-justified-after-george-floyds-1508452|archive-date=2022-05-10|retrieved=2022-06-06}}</ref> At least 28 people died in the protests and over 16,000 were arrested.<ref name=":2">{{News citation|author=Arturo Castillon, Shemon Salam|newspaper=[[Monthly Review]]|title=The Revolutionary Meaning of the George Floyd Uprising|date=2021-04-19|url=https://mronline.org/2021/04/19/the-revolutionary-meaning-of-the-george-floyd-uprising/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614004424/https://mronline.org/2021/04/19/the-revolutionary-meaning-of-the-george-floyd-uprising/|archive-date=2022-06-14|retrieved=2022-06-17}}</ref> | ||
== Causes == | == Causes == | ||
| Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
== Repression == | == Repression == | ||
During the protests, police used tear gas, mace and pepper spray against peaceful protestors.<ref>{{News citation|author=Patrick Martin|newspaper=[[World Socialist Web Site]]|title=Mass protests voice outrage over police murder of George Floyd|date=2020-05-30|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/05/30/floy-m30.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228225824/https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/05/30/floy-m30.html|archive-date=2021-02-28|retrieved=2022-06-19}}</ref> Over 200 cities with a total population of 60 million were put under curfews.<ref name=":3">{{News citation|author=Martin Schoots-McAlpine|newspaper=Monthly Review|title=Anatomy of a counter-insurgency: Efforts to undermine the George Floyd uprising|date=2020-07-03|url=https://mronline.org/2020/07/03/anatomy-of-a-counter-insurgency/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618114648/https://mronline.org/2020/07/03/anatomy-of-a-counter-insurgency/|archive-date=2022-06-18|retrieved=2022-07-04}}</ref> President [[Donald Trump]] activated federal troops to suppress the uprisings<ref name=":0" /> and 96,000 [[National Guard (United States)|National Guard]] troops were mobilized in 34 states.<ref name=":2" /> In addition to state forces, white supremacist groups including the [[Proud Boys]], [[Ku Klux Klan|KKK]], and [[Patriot Prayer]] assisted the police and attacked protestors.<ref name=":3" /> | |||
Numerous acts of police brutality were documented during the heavy-handed crackdown. In one instance, the police drove SUVs into a crowd of protestors, running over several people as others tried to flee. One unarmed protestor was tackled to the ground by multiple cops who beat him repeatedly with their batons. Another video shows National Guard troops in full tactical gear shooting paint canisters at people standing in front of their own homes. <ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=RT|title=NYPD police cruisers RUN INTO crowds of protesters in terrifying video|date=2020-05-31|url=https://www.rt.com/uk/490291-new-york-police-rams-protesters/|retrieved=26/06/2024}}</ref><ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=RT|title=NYPD teaches masked protester a BRUTAL lesson after he dares climb onto a police car|date=2021-05-31|url=https://www.rt.com/usa/490299-nypd-protester-tackled-video-riots/|retrieved=26/06/2024}}</ref><ref>{{Video citation|url=https://twitter.com/i/status/1266921821653385225|channel=@tkerssen|title=National guard and MPD sweeping our residential street. Shooting paint canisters at us on our own front porch. Yelling "light em up"|date=31/05/2020}}</ref> | |||
== International protests == | |||
Although the protests were mainly in the United States, they also spread to other countries, including [[French Republic|France]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Will Morrow|newspaper=World Socialist Web Site|title=Tens of thousands protest in Paris against police killings of George Floyd and Adama Traoré|date=2020-06-15|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/06/15/tens-j15.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210902204817/https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/06/15/tens-j15.html|archive-date=2021-09-02|retrieved=2022-06-19}}</ref> [[Federal Republic of Germany|Germany]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Jan Ritter, Noah Windstein|newspaper=World Socialist Web Site|title=German protests in solidarity with George Floyd and against police violence|date=2020-06-05|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/06/05/germ-j05.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420232921/https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/06/05/germ-j05.html|archive-date=2021-04-20|retrieved=2022-06-19}}</ref> [[New Zealand]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Tom Peters|newspaper=World Socialist Web Site|title=Protests across New Zealand over US police murder of George Floyd|date=2020-06-02|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/06/02/nzpo-j02.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220617075946/https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/06/02/nzpo-j02.html|archive-date=2022-06-17|retrieved=2022-06-19}}</ref> [[Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka]],<ref>{{News citation|newspaper=World Socialist Web Site|title=Sri Lankan police violently suppress protest against the killing of George Floyd|date=2020-06-12|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/06/12/fsps-j12.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220123201818/https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/06/12/fsps-j12.html|archive-date=2022-01-23|retrieved=2022-06-19}}</ref> and the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland|United Kingdom]].<ref>{{News citation|author=Robert Stevens|newspaper=World Socialist Web Site|title=UK: Johnson government demands police repression of George Floyd protests|date=2020-06-10|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/06/10/prot-j10.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110145223/https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/06/10/prot-j10.html|archive-date=2022-01-10|retrieved=2022-06-19}}</ref> | |||
== Reactions == | == Reactions == | ||
=== | === Domestic === | ||
==== U.S. government ==== | |||
President Donald Trump called the protestors "thugs" and encouraged the police and national guard to suppress the protests.<ref>{{News citation|author=Anthony Bertolt|newspaper=World Socialist Web Site|title=Mass anger erupts throughout the US in protests against police murder of George Floyd|date=2020-05-29|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/05/29/minn-m29.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210623135416/https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/05/29/minn-m29.html|archive-date=2021-06-23|retrieved=2022-06-19}}</ref> Former National Security Advisor [[Susan Rice]] blamed the [[Russian Federation|Russian]] government for the protests on [[Cable News Network|CNN]].<ref>{{Web citation|author=[[Alan Macleod]]|newspaper=[[MintPress News]]|title=National Security “Experts” Blame Russia for the George Floyd Protests|date=2020-06-01|url=https://www.mintpressnews.com/russia-influence-george-floyd-protests/268095/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220426045222/https://www.mintpressnews.com/russia-influence-george-floyd-protests/268095/|archive-date=2022-04-26|retrieved=2022-09-11}}</ref> | |||
==== CPUSA ==== | ==== CPUSA ==== | ||
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''[[Workers World]]'', the newspaper of the [[Workers World Party]], supported the George Floyd protestors and said that [[people of color]] in the U.S. are neo-colonized peoples.<ref name=":1" /> | ''[[Workers World]]'', the newspaper of the [[Workers World Party]], supported the George Floyd protestors and said that [[people of color]] in the U.S. are neo-colonized peoples.<ref name=":1" /> | ||
=== | === International === | ||
==== China ==== | |||
[[People's Republic of China|Chinese]] [[United Nations|UN]] representative [[Chen Xu]] expressed his condolences to George Floyd's family and said that Black lives matter.<ref>{{News citation|newspaper=[[CGTN]]|title=Brother of George Floyd urges UN probe into U.S. racism, violence|date=2020-06-18|url=https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-06-18/Brother-of-George-Floyd-urges-UN-probe-into-U-S-racism-violence-RpIw1DKSWY/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309054447/https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-06-18/Brother-of-George-Floyd-urges-UN-probe-into-U-S-racism-violence-RpIw1DKSWY/index.html|archive-date=2021-03-09|retrieved=2022-07-04}}</ref> | |||
==== Iran ==== | |||
The [[Islamic Republic of Iran|Iranian]] government threatened to sanction the United States for its treatment of Black people.<ref>{{News citation|author=Adam Lucente|newspaper=Al-Monitor|title=Iran threatens sanctions against US over treatment of Black Americans|date=2021-12-09|url=https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/12/iran-threatens-sanctions-against-us-over-treatment-black-americans?amp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220602025726/https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/12/iran-threatens-sanctions-against-us-over-treatment-black-americans?amp|archive-date=2022-06-02|retrieved=2022-06-06}}</ref> | The [[Islamic Republic of Iran|Iranian]] government threatened to sanction the United States for its treatment of Black people.<ref>{{News citation|author=Adam Lucente|newspaper=Al-Monitor|title=Iran threatens sanctions against US over treatment of Black Americans|date=2021-12-09|url=https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/12/iran-threatens-sanctions-against-us-over-treatment-black-americans?amp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220602025726/https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/12/iran-threatens-sanctions-against-us-over-treatment-black-americans?amp|archive-date=2022-06-02|retrieved=2022-06-06}}</ref> | ||
Latest revision as of 12:47, 26 June 2024
The George Floyd protests were a series of protests and riots beginning in the United States lasting from May to July 2020. The protests began after a white police officer murdered George Floyd, an unarmed New Afrikan, on May 25, 2020 in Minneapolis. Protests began the next day and the Minneapolis 3rd Precinct was burned down on May 28. The majority of people in the U.S. believed burning down the police station was justified.[1] At least 28 people died in the protests and over 16,000 were arrested.[2]
Causes[edit | edit source]
The protests were caused by police brutality and racism against Black people and the high unemployment rates caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]
Repression[edit | edit source]
During the protests, police used tear gas, mace and pepper spray against peaceful protestors.[4] Over 200 cities with a total population of 60 million were put under curfews.[5] President Donald Trump activated federal troops to suppress the uprisings[3] and 96,000 National Guard troops were mobilized in 34 states.[2] In addition to state forces, white supremacist groups including the Proud Boys, KKK, and Patriot Prayer assisted the police and attacked protestors.[5]
Numerous acts of police brutality were documented during the heavy-handed crackdown. In one instance, the police drove SUVs into a crowd of protestors, running over several people as others tried to flee. One unarmed protestor was tackled to the ground by multiple cops who beat him repeatedly with their batons. Another video shows National Guard troops in full tactical gear shooting paint canisters at people standing in front of their own homes. [6][7][8]
International protests[edit | edit source]
Although the protests were mainly in the United States, they also spread to other countries, including France,[9] Germany,[10] New Zealand,[11] Sri Lanka,[12] and the United Kingdom.[13]
Reactions[edit | edit source]
Domestic[edit | edit source]
U.S. government[edit | edit source]
President Donald Trump called the protestors "thugs" and encouraged the police and national guard to suppress the protests.[14] Former National Security Advisor Susan Rice blamed the Russian government for the protests on CNN.[15]
CPUSA[edit | edit source]
Communist Party USA called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the police who killed George Floyd and said that the rebellion is the fault of institutional racism and not the protestors.[16]
FRSO[edit | edit source]
The Freedom Road Socialist Organization demanded convicting the white supremacist cops and community control of the police. They also stated that New Afrikans are an oppressed nation in the U.S.[16]
PCUSA[edit | edit source]
The Party of Communists USA condemned the white supremacist police.[16]
PSL[edit | edit source]
The Party for Socialism and Liberation condemned the killing of George Floyd and advocated for the arrest and imprisonment of all the cops involved. They also stated that the FBI's investigation of Floyd's death would not help because the FBI is a white supremacist organization.[16]
WWP[edit | edit source]
Workers World, the newspaper of the Workers World Party, supported the George Floyd protestors and said that people of color in the U.S. are neo-colonized peoples.[16]
International[edit | edit source]
China[edit | edit source]
Chinese UN representative Chen Xu expressed his condolences to George Floyd's family and said that Black lives matter.[17]
Iran[edit | edit source]
The Iranian government threatened to sanction the United States for its treatment of Black people.[18]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Matthew Impelli (2020-06-03). "54 Percent of Americans Think Burning Down Minneapolis Police Precinct Was Justified After George Floyd's Death" Newsweek. Archived from the original on 2022-05-10. Retrieved 2022-06-06.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Arturo Castillon, Shemon Salam (2021-04-19). "The Revolutionary Meaning of the George Floyd Uprising" Monthly Review. Archived from the original on 2022-06-14. Retrieved 2022-06-17.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "On the Uprisings in the United States" (2020-06-04). Leading Light Communist Organization. Archived from the original on 2020-10-10. Retrieved 2022-06-06.
- ↑ Patrick Martin (2020-05-30). "Mass protests voice outrage over police murder of George Floyd" World Socialist Web Site. Archived from the original on 2021-02-28. Retrieved 2022-06-19.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Martin Schoots-McAlpine (2020-07-03). "Anatomy of a counter-insurgency: Efforts to undermine the George Floyd uprising" Monthly Review. Archived from the original on 2022-06-18. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
- ↑ "NYPD police cruisers RUN INTO crowds of protesters in terrifying video" (2020-05-31). RT. Retrieved 26/06/2024.
- ↑ "NYPD teaches masked protester a BRUTAL lesson after he dares climb onto a police car" (2021-05-31). RT. Retrieved 26/06/2024.
- ↑ @tkerssen (31/05/2020). "National guard and MPD sweeping our residential street. Shooting paint canisters at us on our own front porch. Yelling "light em up"".
- ↑ Will Morrow (2020-06-15). "Tens of thousands protest in Paris against police killings of George Floyd and Adama Traoré" World Socialist Web Site. Archived from the original on 2021-09-02. Retrieved 2022-06-19.
- ↑ Jan Ritter, Noah Windstein (2020-06-05). "German protests in solidarity with George Floyd and against police violence" World Socialist Web Site. Archived from the original on 2021-04-20. Retrieved 2022-06-19.
- ↑ Tom Peters (2020-06-02). "Protests across New Zealand over US police murder of George Floyd" World Socialist Web Site. Archived from the original on 2022-06-17. Retrieved 2022-06-19.
- ↑ "Sri Lankan police violently suppress protest against the killing of George Floyd" (2020-06-12). World Socialist Web Site. Archived from the original on 2022-01-23. Retrieved 2022-06-19.
- ↑ Robert Stevens (2020-06-10). "UK: Johnson government demands police repression of George Floyd protests" World Socialist Web Site. Archived from the original on 2022-01-10. Retrieved 2022-06-19.
- ↑ Anthony Bertolt (2020-05-29). "Mass anger erupts throughout the US in protests against police murder of George Floyd" World Socialist Web Site. Archived from the original on 2021-06-23. Retrieved 2022-06-19.
- ↑ Alan Macleod (2020-06-01). "National Security “Experts” Blame Russia for the George Floyd Protests" MintPress News. Archived from the original on 2022-04-26. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 "George Floyd's Murder: U.S. Communist and Left Parties in solidarity with the protesters" (2021-06-01). In Defense of Communism. Archived from the original on 2021-06-25. Retrieved 2022-06-06.
- ↑ "Brother of George Floyd urges UN probe into U.S. racism, violence" (2020-06-18). CGTN. Archived from the original on 2021-03-09. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
- ↑ Adam Lucente (2021-12-09). "Iran threatens sanctions against US over treatment of Black Americans" Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 2022-06-02. Retrieved 2022-06-06.