Civil Rights

Brooklyn Sees Massive Black Trans Lives Matter Rally

NBC News reports: Protesters packed the courtyard of the Brooklyn Museum and surrounding parkway in New York City on Sunday in support of Black trans lives, merging the fight to protect two deeply marginalized groups. The rally began about 1 p.m. in front of the museum, just a short walk east of Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza, as activists made speeches …

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Johnson Condemns Protests: “Stay Away From Them”

The New York Times reports: Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain on Friday made a series of critical comments about large anti-discrimination protests that were prompted by the death of George Floyd, and said people “should not support” the demonstrations. With more rallies planned in London and across the country this weekend, Mr. Johnson risked drawing outrage, as he urged …

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POLL: Vast Majority Back Sweeping Police Reforms

Reuters reports: Most Americans, including a majority of President Donald Trump’s Republican Party, support sweeping law enforcement reforms such as a ban on chokeholds and racial profiling after the latest death of an African American while in police custody, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released today. For example, 82% of Americans want to ban police from using chokeholds, 83% …

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Tulsa Police Major: Statistically, Police Aren’t Shooting Black People As Often As We “Probably Ought To Be”

Tulsa Public Radio reports: Discussing nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, a white Tulsa Police Department major said Monday systemic racism in policing “just doesn’t exist.” Speaking to talk radio host Pat Campbell on his podcast, TPD Maj. Travis Yates also suggested that, according to his interpretation of crime data, police should actually be …

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Jacksonville City Council: Liberty Counsel Can Suck It

The Florida Times-Union reports: The Jacksonville City Council on Tuesday restored discrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people that were enacted in 2017 but struck down last month by a Florida appeals court. The Florida 1st District of Appeals declared the law unenforceable on May 1 based on a technical issue with the process the council used to …

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Biden Delivers Emotional Message At George Floyd’s Funeral: “We Cannot Turn Away From Systemic Abuse”

USA Today reports: Former Vice President Joe Biden recounted a wrenching conversation with George Floyd’s daughter, Gianna, in a video message delivered during Tuesday’s funeral for the man who died in police custody last month. Gianna told him she missed the bear hug that only Floyd could give, the joy of riding on his shoulders, the countless hours they spent …

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Jacksonville City Council Votes Tonight On Reinstating LGBT Rights Law Struck Down Due To Hate Group Suit

The Florida Times-Union reports: The Jacksonville City Council is expected on Tuesday to vote on a replacement for the city’s recently struck-down law that prohibited discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, which fares a strong chance of passing after earning preliminary support from a veto-proof majority of the council. The replacement law last week won 13 favorable votes …

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Piers Morgan: Trump Should Kneel On Live Television

Onetime Apprentice contestant Piers Morgan writes: From the start of the protests, the President has done nothing but pour ‘when the looting starts, the shooting starts’ fuel onto the flames, acting as a divisive lightening rod with his incendiary rhetoric.  Now we’re told he’s so unsettled by this reaction that he is planning to make an address to the nation …

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Obamas Address Unrest In Message To Class Of 2020

Deadline reports: As in previous public statements of late, Obama never said the name Donald Trump, but left no one unclear who he was spotlighting as gaslighting the divisions in America for personal and ideological gain. “Democracy isn’t about relying on some charismatic leader to make changes from on high,” he proclaimed. “It’s about finding hope in ourselves, and creating …

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DC Pro Soccer Team Paints “I Can’t Breathe” On Field

The Hill reports: Washington D.C.’s Major League Soccer (MLS) team D.C. United on Sunday unveiled a statement in support of the protests over George Floyd’s death: giant letters reading “I can’t breathe” on the team’s Audi Field turf. A tweet from the team Sunday afternoon showed members of the organization posing on the field around the massive statement, which dwarfed …

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Minneapolis City Council Backs Defunding Local Police

Minneapolis’s Fox News affiliate reports: Nine members of the Minneapolis City Council announced their support for de-funding the Minneapolis Police Department and replacing it with a community-based public safety model at a rally in Powderhorn Park Sunday afternoon. With the support of the nine council members, they have created a veto-proof supermajority in support of disbanding the police department. However, …

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Buffalo Mayor: Assaulted Man Was A “Major Instigator”

“He was in the area after the curfew. One of the things that happened before was conflict among protesters and there was a danger of fights breaking out, and police felt it was important to clear that scene for the safety of protesters. “The instructions from police management was be careful, protect our residents and peaceful protesters and use common …

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Entire Buffalo Emergency Response Team Of 57 Officers Resigns From Unit Over Suspensions Of Cops [VIDEO]

Buffalo’s NBC News affiliate reports: News 4 has learned the entire Buffalo Police Department Emergency Response Team has resigned from the team. That’s a total of 57 officers. We’re told this is a show of support for the officers who are suspended without pay after shoving 75-year-old Martin Gugino. They are still employed, but no longer on ERT. Mayor Byron …

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DC Paints “Black Lives Matter” On Road To White House

The Hill reports: Washington, D.C., is painting large yellow letters spelling out “Black Lives Matter” on a major road leading to the White House Friday. The letters span two blocks of 16th Street NW in the nation’s capital and take up the width of the two-lane road. Painters started on the project early Friday morning after being contacted by Washington, …

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Two Buffalo Cops Suspended After Shoving An Elderly Man, Police Had Claimed He “Tripped And Fell” [VIDEO]

Buffalo’s NPR affiliate reports: Shortly after Buffalo’s curfew started Thursday evening, city police and State Police swept through the area of Niagara Square directly in front of City Hall to clear the area where a protest was finishing. An unidentified, 75-year-old man was shoved by two officers in the line. The man lost his balance and fell to the pavement, …

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Tall Metal Fences Go Up Around White House [VIDEO]

Newsweek reports: Metal fencing has been installed around the White House complex as protests continue in Washington, part of the widespread Black Lives Matter demonstrations taking place across the U.S. Video taken by CNN’s Betsy Klein showed a pallet truck stacked with fence panels and a team of workers in high-visibility clothing installing the new perimeter. “More fencing going up …

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Jimmy Carter Laments Tragic Racial Injustices And Civil Unrest: We Need A Government As Good As Its People

Just in from former President Jimmy Carter: Rosalynn and I are pained by the tragic racial injustices and consequent backlash across our nation in recent weeks. Our hearts are with the victims’ families and all who feel hopeless in the face of pervasive racial discrimination and outright cruelty. We all must shine a spotlight on the immorality of racial discrimination. …

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Trump Wanted Pentagon To Use Tanks To Stop Protests

The Daily Beast reports: Less than 24 hours after President Trump said he was prepared to send troops into cities across America, senior officials in the Pentagon began to try to distance themselves from those words and from the idea itself, underscoring that not one governor had requested additional military assistance from Defense Secretary Mark Esper. A senior DOD official …

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Saks Wraps Flagship Manhattan Store In Razor Wire

The New York Post reports: Saks Fifth Avenue surrounded its flagship Manhattan store with razor wire on Tuesday to keep thieves from smashing their way in and making off with troves of expensive merchandise, The Post has learned. The luxury retailer has also hired private security guards with specially trained dogs to protect the premises in the wake of Monday …

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NYC Sees Calmer Night, Little Looting, But 280 Arrests

ABC News reports: The NYPD made about 280 arrests during Tuesday night/Wednesday morning protests, a lower tally than previous nights, as the city came under an 8 p.m. curfew and stopped for-hire vehicles, CitiBikes and rental scooters that vandals had used to cause trouble. There were fewer officers injured as well with only two suffering minor injuries. There was less …

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