Chaos in US as violence spreads
Violence by protesters angered at the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota on May 25 spread across America resulting in major damage to businesses including arson and violence that killed at least two people and injured many police officers in dozens of American cities.
Floyd, 46, died while in police custody after he allegedly tried to twice use a counterfeit $20 bill to buy food at an Arab Americanowned grocery store, Cup Foods, located on the South end of Minneapolis’ downtown area.
One of the four Minneapolis Police Officers, Derek Chauvin, 44, who responded to a call from a Cup Foods store employee, held Floyd down in the street using his knee pressing on the suspect’s neck. Floyd was taken down and handcuffed by the police apparently after resisting arrest. Chauvin was fired the next day and charged with 3rd degree murder.
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HIGHLIGHT
The nationwide riots were particularly difficult because much of the country has been under stay-at-home orders because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chauvin, protests spread throughout the country and worsened during the next five days in Minneapolis where more than 228 businesses were destroyed. Protests exploded in many other cities including in New York, Chicago, Houston, Detroit, Los
Angeles and Atlanta where looting, arson and attacks against police in those cities were broadcast on live television news throughout the night.
The governor of California declared a state of emergency, while the Mayor of Chicago ordered a 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew that was ignored by the protesters who swarmed throughout the city’s downtown business district all night breaking windows and burning police and other vehicles. The nationwide riots were particularly difficult because much of the country has been under stay-at-home orders because of the COVID-19 pandemic that were being eased. Many of the protesters wore masks used as protection against the pandemic but prevented police from identifying many of the looters and arsonists seen in many videos taken by the public and shared on social media.
The protests became politicized as Democrats and Republicans blamed each other; Democrats accused law enforcement of racist brutality while Republicans denounced the looting and violence as having nothing to do with bringing justice to the victim or his family. Many of the protests were organized by the African Americanled Black Lives Matter movement which has been protesting killings of blacks by police.