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Widespread Chaos in the United States

June 11, 2020

Published in Prensa Libre
(Guatemala) on 1 June 2020
by Mario Antonio Sandoval (link to original link to original)

Translated from by Kaitlyn Diehl. Edited by Elizabeth Cosgriff.

American society has been criticized both inside and outside of the country for its racism against blacks, and now Spanish speakers as well. George Floyd, accused of paying with a counterfeit $20 bill, died after being slammed to the ground by four white* Minneapolis police officers. One of whom pinned Floyd down by placing his knee and full body weight on his neck for 15 minutes.** The victim told them he couldn't breathe, but they didn't listen to him. The following day in Atlanta, a Spanish-speaking, dark-skinned CNN reporter was the only one of several white journalists arrested, without justification. Two facts provide hope: the governor's apology, and seeing yesterday's photos of Miami police kneeling, seeking forgiveness from protesters.

The violent and intentional death of Floyd was seen, literally, across the world.*** By the end of the week, the outrage of blacks and whites became clear through protests in Minneapolis, Washington, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Denver, Seattle, Philadelphia, Boston, San Antonio, Atlanta, Detroit, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Houston, Nashville, Pittsburgh, San Jose, New Jersey, Cleveland and elsewhere. Unfortunately, as always, gang members infiltrated and provoked looting of stores and restaurants, as well as set fire to facilities and police cars. The CNN headquarters was also attacked, and the vandals were removed by police. The combination of all of this has made it necessary to establish a curfew in several of the aforementioned cities.

Twenty-eight years ago in California, chaos ensued over the case of Rodney King, who was attacked with clubs by several police officers and filmed by someone through a window. In the current case, Donald Trump's silence drew attention. He is so fond of tweets, yet he had not taken a stance on this weekend until yesterday at 6 p.m. The homicidal police officer is charged with third-degree murder, and criticism has already begun. The tension will be hidden, ready to be unleashed again if the verdict is not guilty or one found to justify such cruelty, which was evidently provoked by someone incapable of measuring his own reactions. All of this together, with thousands of cases of racism accumulated over the course of many decades, demonstrates the high level of racial tension today. And without a doubt, it will be an election topic.

*Editor’s note: One of the four police officers, Tou Thao, was Asian.

**Editor’s note: It has been widely reported that Floyd was pinned down for a little under nine minutes.

***Editor's note: The officers involved in Floyd's death have been charged in the case, but not convicted of any crimes or found liable for any intentional acts.

La sociedad estadounidense ha sido criticada dentro y fuera del país por su racismo contra los negros, y ahora también los hispanoparlantes. George Floyd, acusado de pagar con un billete falso de 20 dólares, murió luego de ser derribado al piso por cuatro policías blancos de Minneapolis, y uno de ellos lo inmovilizó, colocándole la rodilla y todo el peso del cuerpo en el cuello durante 15 minutos. La víctima les dijo no poder respirar, pero no lo escucharon. Al día siguiente, en Atlanta, un reportero de CNN, hispanoparlante de piel morena oscura, fue el único apresado de varios periodistas blancos, sin justificación. Dan esperanzas dos hechos: la disculpa del gobernador y ayer ver las fotos de policías de Miami hincados pidiendo perdón a manifestantes.

La muerte violenta e intencional de Floyd fue vista, literalmente, en todo el mundo. El fin de semana la indignación de blancos y negros se hizo clara con manifestaciones en Minneapolis, Washington, New York, Los Ángeles, Chicago, Miami, Denver, Seattle, Filadelfia, Boston, San Antonio, Atlanta, Detroit, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Houston, Nashville, Pittsburg, San José, New Jersey, Cleveland y otras. Desafortunadamente, como siempre, se infiltraron mareros y provocaron pillaje en almacenes y restaurantes, incendios de instalaciones y carros policíacos. También fueron atacadas las oficinas centrales de CNN, donde los vándalos fueron desalojados por la policía. La mezcla de todo esto obligó a declarar toque de queda en varias de las ciudades mencionadas.

Hace 28 años, en California hubo caos a causa del caso de Rodney King, atacado a palos por varios policías y filmado por alguien desde una ventana. En el caso actual, llamó la atención el silencio de Donald Trump, tan aficionado a los “tweets” pues hasta ayer a las 18 horas no se había pronunciado sobre este fin de semana. Los cargos contra el policía homicida son de asesinato en tercer grado, y ya comenzaron las críticas. La tensión se esconderá, lista para salir de nuevo si el fallo es de inocencia o justifique tal crueldad, evidentemente provocada por alguien incapaz de medir sus propias reacciones. Todo esto, unido y agregado a los miles de casos de racismo a lo largo de muchas décadas, demuestra el alto nivel de tensión racial de hoy en día. Y sin duda será tema electoral.

This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .