POLICE VIOLENCE – “The police, on their knees!”. Under this slogan heavy with symbolism chanted by the demonstrators protesting against the death of George Floyd after a police arrest last week in Minneapolis, some police have decided to bow. Sunday May 31, officers of the NYPD –the famous New York Departmental Police- have bowed to one knee in Foley Square.
These police officers have thus taken again a gesture dear to the demonstrators who take it themselves from the American football player Colin Kaepernick. In 2016, the quarterback, then 46 years old, symbolically disassociated himself during the American anthem, by kneeling on the ground. One way for him to protest against racial injustices and police violence. Several personalities or activists of the political movement “Black Lives Matter” have since reproduced his gesture. At the time, the player was kicked out of the NFL season.
As you can see in our video below, some police officers were not satisfied with this allusion. Some, like New Jersey, took part in the protests. In some powerful images, we see officers holding banners at the head of the procession. Others hold up signs.
From Philadelphia to Los Angeles, via New York and obviously Minneapolis, the starting point of the movement, demonstrations but also scenes of urban violence and looting are on the increase. In Washington, rioters went to the forecourt of the White House. But scenes of solidarity between demonstrators, police, and other professions such as bus drivers, for example, who refuse to transport arrested demonstrators, are also increasing.
See also on The HuffPost: This bus driver applauded for disobeying the police
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