African Americans being subject to excessive violence and unlawful killings by the institution that is meant to protect them continues with no solution or abatement likely. Sophia Kennedy discusses the repeating pattern of violence and looks at the steps necessary to prevent it.
An unarmed man shot. Riots. Looting. Millions of dollars in damage.
This isn’t the first time.
Dan Lindsay and T.J Martin’s Documentary LA 92 documents the Los Angeles riots of 1992.
In that year Rodney King was brutally attacked by police and video was released showing the police beating him over 50 times. King suffered 11 fractures, a pulverised eye and damage to internal organs. George Holiday filmed the incident and it added up to being 12 minutes long of beating. …show more content…
He was cornered in an alley and reached for his waistband, this action causing Roach to shoot Thomas in the chest. Thomas was found unarmed and was hurried to the hospital before dying from his wounds. After investigation, it became clear that Thomas reaching for his waistband was an attempt to pull up his pants. The crime that was the cause of this death: driving without a seatbelt.
As the public heard about the incident, there was outrage among the African American community in Cincinnati. Two days after the incident, over 200 protesters were outside Cincinnati City Hall demanding for the reasoning of Thomas’ shooting and death. The crowd of protesters were told that the incident was still being investigated. Later, several hundred protesters met outside the headquarters of the Cincinnati Police District and threw stones, and bottles at the police, angry at the lack of reasoning for the unlawful killing of Thomas. Police fought back with tear gas and shot at the crowd with rubber bullets. The following day, the protests grew more violent, crowds overturning garbage cans and newspaper boxes and looting began. The crowds began looting stores and white drivers were pulled out from their vehicles and beaten. The police again dispersed the crowd and made over sixty arrests on the day. The violent protests went on three more days before Mayor Charles J. Luken brought a curfew …show more content…
A report from the Cleveland police shows that the culture of abusive policing is very deeply embedded in the police forces. Police departments are resistant to change, and the problem is not what the weapons are used, but rather how many officers want to operate with impunity and a military mindset.
As has been pointed out, the police are a reflection of society, but every organisation has its own culture and systems. So that while they are a part of society, they may not actually reflect on the whole of society.
To fix the problem: the culture of police must change. Changing any large organisation with a deep and strong culture is exceeding difficult. It starts at the top. But change from the top is hopeless if it does not have support from all levels of the organisation. It’s particularly difficult to change if the organisation is under siege. It’s the nature of police forces that they are constantly under pressure, as they are often dealing with the worst parts of society i.e. criminals. It must start with a determination to change and goodwill on both sides. There is a real need for the wider community to become involved in this change. Privileged people, white middle class need to help as the underprivileged voices are shut down. This needless and tragic loss of life must be brought to an end. If America is to match its belief in democracy and freedom with reality, all efforts must be applied from all
An unarmed man shot. Riots. Looting. Millions of dollars in damage.
This isn’t the first time.
Dan Lindsay and T.J Martin’s Documentary LA 92 documents the Los Angeles riots of 1992.
In that year Rodney King was brutally attacked by police and video was released showing the police beating him over 50 times. King suffered 11 fractures, a pulverised eye and damage to internal organs. George Holiday filmed the incident and it added up to being 12 minutes long of beating. …show more content…
He was cornered in an alley and reached for his waistband, this action causing Roach to shoot Thomas in the chest. Thomas was found unarmed and was hurried to the hospital before dying from his wounds. After investigation, it became clear that Thomas reaching for his waistband was an attempt to pull up his pants. The crime that was the cause of this death: driving without a seatbelt.
As the public heard about the incident, there was outrage among the African American community in Cincinnati. Two days after the incident, over 200 protesters were outside Cincinnati City Hall demanding for the reasoning of Thomas’ shooting and death. The crowd of protesters were told that the incident was still being investigated. Later, several hundred protesters met outside the headquarters of the Cincinnati Police District and threw stones, and bottles at the police, angry at the lack of reasoning for the unlawful killing of Thomas. Police fought back with tear gas and shot at the crowd with rubber bullets. The following day, the protests grew more violent, crowds overturning garbage cans and newspaper boxes and looting began. The crowds began looting stores and white drivers were pulled out from their vehicles and beaten. The police again dispersed the crowd and made over sixty arrests on the day. The violent protests went on three more days before Mayor Charles J. Luken brought a curfew …show more content…
A report from the Cleveland police shows that the culture of abusive policing is very deeply embedded in the police forces. Police departments are resistant to change, and the problem is not what the weapons are used, but rather how many officers want to operate with impunity and a military mindset.
As has been pointed out, the police are a reflection of society, but every organisation has its own culture and systems. So that while they are a part of society, they may not actually reflect on the whole of society.
To fix the problem: the culture of police must change. Changing any large organisation with a deep and strong culture is exceeding difficult. It starts at the top. But change from the top is hopeless if it does not have support from all levels of the organisation. It’s particularly difficult to change if the organisation is under siege. It’s the nature of police forces that they are constantly under pressure, as they are often dealing with the worst parts of society i.e. criminals. It must start with a determination to change and goodwill on both sides. There is a real need for the wider community to become involved in this change. Privileged people, white middle class need to help as the underprivileged voices are shut down. This needless and tragic loss of life must be brought to an end. If America is to match its belief in democracy and freedom with reality, all efforts must be applied from all