On May 25, 2020, the killing of an unarmed black American man in the hands of four police officers in Minnesota triggered massive protests all over the United States, Europe and in the rest of the world.  So now what?

The protests turned into a worldwide movement against institutionalized racism in America.  Protesters include people across every racial spectrum of society, carrying signs and demanding reform and justice for all the victims of police brutality. 

Enough is enough!  god damn it!  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the time during which George Floyd begged for his life as officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck and choked him to death. 

Meanwhile, the other three officers looked on and did nothing to stop officer Chauvin from killing Floyd.  When the ambulance came, Chauvin finally got off the victim’s neck and handcuffed his lifeless body.  He was, then, driven to the hospital.

The killing was horrific; the evidence was monumental, Yet Chauvin was not charged.  He was simply terminated from the police workforce.  Also the three accomplices, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao, were initially not considered liable to the crime.   Ho! Ho! Ho!

Again enough is enough!  The impunity of police officers who indiscriminately kill African-Americans is outrageous.  That act of barbarism by those cops led to a volatile situation that erupted like a volcano in response to Floyd’s killing and the lack of transparency and accountability.

The atmosphere was tense. The protests were supposed to be passive, but other elements have mingled with protesters to stir social unrest and disorder.  It all started in Minnesota where police properties and businesses were vandalized, looted or set on fire.  That mayhem was a trend that swept through every corner of the United States. 

Fearing the worst, Minnesotan authorities somewhat gave in to protesters’ demands.  Then, the presumed killer, officer Chauvin, who was simply fired for the crime was finally charged with third-degree murder. 

As more and more pressure was being felt, Minnesota State Attorney upgraded Chauvin’s charges to second-degree murder with a possibility of 40 years in prison. They also charged each of the three accomplices with accessory to a crime with a possibility of 10-year imprisonment.

But charging all four officers with Floyd’s killing was not enough to appease protesters’ rage.  The core of their demands was the eradication of systemic racism altogether.  Until then, as protesters’ chants went, no justice—no peace!

Police brutality is intolerable.  They don’t live up to their motto to serve and protect when they stigmatize and deliberately kill African-Americans.  Knowing that most of the time the judicial system condones their abusive behavior, bad cops freely go on a killing spree. 

As it is reported, 9 out of 10 of those police officers’ trials end with their acquittal. It’s eerily reminiscent of slavery and James Crow’s law all over again.

Too much senseless African-American blood has been shed.  The list of the victims is long. A few of them include Trayvon Martin, Botham Jean, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, and so on.  Black lives do matter! 

It’s now time for a complete overhaul of the justice system in America. The hope of everyone is that the challenges of the time will bring opportunities for healing and a new beginning in the United States.  Protesters are firm in their demand for reform in the justice department and law enforcement.

Consequently, Congressional Democrats unveiled sweeping police reform legislation Monday in response to Floyd’s killing.  One’s best hope is that this legislation would also go as far as resolving the existing education gap between black students and others and the department of justice sentencing disparity of African-Americans.

Floyd has revolutionized America and the world.  He is immortal. He may have lived the life of an ordinary man, but he has posthumously become an icon and an American symbol of martyrdom for justice, peace and change.

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