It feels like we are living in two different versions of reality: the one people see on mainstream news, and the ones that can be seen in the personal feeds of protestors and on-the-ground journalists. The mainstream news networks are showing lootings and what they’re calling riots. Then they show cops kneeling or dancing or standing around.
This is what everyone else is seeing:
Who is this serving?
Who is this protecting? pic.twitter.com/IK8DkwLLUT
— jordan (@JordanUhl) May 31, 2020
These violent escalations from the police amongst peaceful protests, especially in cities that have instituted arbitrary curfews, need to be seen by the people safe in their living rooms. Below is just a fraction of what is going on in cities and towns across the U.S. What many people ask when they post these attacks from the police is, “Who is this protecting?”
Absolutely no one.
1.
Thugs masqueradeing as law enforcement officers shoved an elderly man to the ground and ignored the fact that he began bleeding from his head.
Who does this protect & serve? #ACAB pic.twitter.com/IuaQsvbr0F
— ????️????????Jake Galardi Marko????????️???? (@jakeypoohlv) June 5, 2020
2.
Br. Miles, a regular in my city's mosque who's ONLY ever supported his community, got tackled and arrested while being interviewed WITH BOTH HIS HANDS UP! pic.twitter.com/J537JN36sg
— Laith (@secretlaith) June 3, 2020
3.
Philadelphia: cop pulls down a protestor's mask to pepper-spray her in the face as she's kneeling with her hands up, then sprays another one, then sprays a third.
This isn’t about safety. It’s about punishing those that speak out against the police.
— Nathaniel O’Dell #BLM (@ODell_Nathaniel) June 4, 2020
4.
Who does this protect?pic.twitter.com/ZyTQr4sAMI
— jordan (@JordanUhl) June 4, 2020
5.
1️⃣6️⃣3️⃣ Asheville, NC: police destroy medical supplies and cut open all the water bottles
Creating a tremendous plastic mess outside of Farm Burger
— T. Greg "Cry More, Nazi" Doucette (@greg_doucette) June 3, 2020
6.
1️⃣6️⃣7️⃣ Orlando, FL: you see a protestor in gray hoodie walking away with his hands up
A cop rushes into the crowd to grab him so some officers can beat him for sport, then other officers indiscriminately pepper-spray everyone else
— T. Greg "Cry More, Nazi" Doucette (@greg_doucette) June 3, 2020
7.
The *mayor* of my hometown joined the cops to beat up protestors in the streets.
Here's a petition demanding his resignation https://t.co/3Ip6VSw3Ac https://t.co/hRZPT8SvaG
— Tim Baltz (@tim_baltz) June 5, 2020
8.
1️⃣8️⃣9️⃣ San Jose, CA: cop casually hitting a guy with his motorcycle and sending him to asphalt as 3 more cops pile on
— T. Greg Doucette (@greg_doucette) June 3, 2020
9.
1️⃣8️⃣1️⃣ Los Angeles, CA: at least 6 cops destroy a car, breaking out its windows to drag out the occupants
— T. Greg "Cry More, Nazi" Doucette (@greg_doucette) June 3, 2020
10.
1️⃣8️⃣8️⃣ Portland, OR: casual war-zoning as police shoot into a crowd for fun
[This may be a different area of the same night as 1️⃣8️⃣3️⃣ above, I can't tell]
— T. Greg "Cry More, Nazi" Doucette (@greg_doucette) June 3, 2020
11.
They’re arresting legal observers. (Courtesy @CSMuncyPhoto) pic.twitter.com/o6iSXoUeK9
— Jake Offenhartz (@jangelooff) June 5, 2020
12.
This delivery guy thought he’s an essential worker, police seemed to disagree. The rules issued before the curfew very unclear but according to the state, restaurants, bar & food industry workers are classified as essential. #nycurfew #NYCPolice pic.twitter.com/OyZVuDkPuM
— Kirsti Karttunen (@KirstiKarttunen) June 5, 2020
13.
This happened today In Baytown tx. They pulled my brother over for no reason and searched his whole car without consent and when my friends tried to defend him this happened. That is officer brown. If you’re from the area I’m sure you’ve heard of him. This needs to stop pic.twitter.com/gSrzsRZ0rq
— D (@Dttg13M) June 3, 2020
14.
last night my husband and I got arrested on the stoop of our building on the UWS just after 8 pm. we were cheering on a peaceful protest on our block. this was my small visceral window into the police brutality black folks have experienced for centuries. #DefundThePolice pic.twitter.com/SIbMxgekwi
— Shaina Taub (@shainataub) June 5, 2020
15.
This happened in Sacramento last night, he stopped filming when they pointed their guns. They’re doing that so cameras don’t capture any abuse or anything that looks like abuse cause they be doing that with every arrest, it takes 5 men to hold someone who’s already on the ground? pic.twitter.com/XtflbQPA5j
— LUZ (@luzfs10) June 4, 2020
16.
Does it like black lives matter to these cops? This is why we’re fighting back, this is exactly what white privilege looks like. pic.twitter.com/hUd6l0gEPq
— Mr.Universe (@Eggsalaaad) June 3, 2020
17.
Last night, on E. 136th St. by Brook, the NYPD brutally attacked #FTP4.
Over 100 cops enclosed the march at ~ 7:55 PM.
At 8:10 PM, cops pushed into the crowd and packed us into an increasingly tight space.
Comrades yelled, “You’re gonna kill people” & “I can’t breathe.” 1/x pic.twitter.com/f1j0tOQCTS
— Andom Ghebreghiorgis (@AndomForNY) June 6, 2020
18.
3️⃣2️⃣0️⃣ New York City, NY: there's something viscerally striking about seeing NYPD arresting medics in scrubs weeks after being the global epicenter of COVID-19 infections
[h/t @AshAgony]
— T. Greg "Cry More, Nazi" Doucette (@greg_doucette) June 6, 2020
