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Black Lives Matter protests: George Floyd's brother to testify in Washington – live Black Lives Matter protests: George Floyd's brother to testify in Washington – live
(30 minutes later)
House Judiciary Committee will hold an oversight hearing on policing practices, with Philonise Floyd called to speakHouse Judiciary Committee will hold an oversight hearing on policing practices, with Philonise Floyd called to speak
I mentioned earlier that last night a Christopher Columbus statue in Richmond, Virginia had been toppled and thrown into the lake in William Byrd Park.
Reports suggest that another statue of Columbus was also vandalised overnight, this time on Boston’s Atlantic Avenue in Massachusetts. The statue was beheaded.
It had previously been spray-painted in 2015 with the #BlackLivesMatter slogan. And somebody has already updated its Wikipedia entry.
Police are investigating the damage to the statue.
Since nine members of Minneapolis city council have vowed to dismantle the city’s police department there’s been a lot of interest in the last couple of days in how Camden in New Jersey reformed its police department in 2013.
My colleague Oliver Milman noted on Monday that the county had made a shift to community-based policing in 2013. Complaints over excessive police force in Camden have dropped 95% since 2014.
Scottie Andrew at CNN has this morning published a look at what happened next after Camden made the move. Nyeema Watson, a resident, told him “We can’t police our way out of social issues, unemployment, disproportionate health issues, economic challenges - these are things that drive crime”
But the situation on the ground in Camden seems much more positive. In part because of the way that new officers are inducted into the force. Local official Louis Cappelli says that on their first day, new officers have to go round the neighbourhood they will be patrolling knocking on doors and introducing themselves.
You can read the report here - which includes an analysis of why it is an approach that might be much harder to roll out in a larger urban area like Minneapolis: CNN - This city disbanded its police department 7 years ago. Here’s what happened next
Georgia was one of five states holding primary elections yesterday, in the middle of the wave of #BlackLivesMatter protests and a coronavirus pandemic - and it did not go well.Georgia was one of five states holding primary elections yesterday, in the middle of the wave of #BlackLivesMatter protests and a coronavirus pandemic - and it did not go well.
Bill Barrow of Associated Press has been reporting on the chaotic scenes - and the potential implications it has for later in the year:Bill Barrow of Associated Press has been reporting on the chaotic scenes - and the potential implications it has for later in the year:
Barrow goes on to quote Rachana Desai Martin, a Biden campaign attorney, saying “We only have a few months left until voters around the nation head to the polls again, and efforts should begin immediately to ensure that every Georgian — and every American — is able to safely exercise their right to vote.”Barrow goes on to quote Rachana Desai Martin, a Biden campaign attorney, saying “We only have a few months left until voters around the nation head to the polls again, and efforts should begin immediately to ensure that every Georgian — and every American — is able to safely exercise their right to vote.”
The state is to have an investigation into what went wrong yesterday - with Fulton and DeKalb counties in particular experiencing difficulties.The state is to have an investigation into what went wrong yesterday - with Fulton and DeKalb counties in particular experiencing difficulties.
One of the keys to whether the death of George Floyd will make a long-lasting change to policing in the US will be getting at least some elements of the Republican party on board to get legislation passed - both at state and federal levels. There’s an interesting piece from The Hill this morning looking at just whether that is going to happen.One of the keys to whether the death of George Floyd will make a long-lasting change to policing in the US will be getting at least some elements of the Republican party on board to get legislation passed - both at state and federal levels. There’s an interesting piece from The Hill this morning looking at just whether that is going to happen.
Yesterday Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said: “None of us have had the experience of being an African American in this country and dealing with this discrimination, which persists here some 50 years after the 1964 civil rights bill and the 1965 civil rights bill. We’re still wrestling with America’s original sin. We try to get better but every now and then it’s perfectly clear we’re a long way from the finish line.”Yesterday Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said: “None of us have had the experience of being an African American in this country and dealing with this discrimination, which persists here some 50 years after the 1964 civil rights bill and the 1965 civil rights bill. We’re still wrestling with America’s original sin. We try to get better but every now and then it’s perfectly clear we’re a long way from the finish line.”
But it is clear that a lot of Republicans think law enforcement should remain determined at a local level, and despite some words warming to the possibility, McConnell has not given any commitment to police reform legislation.But it is clear that a lot of Republicans think law enforcement should remain determined at a local level, and despite some words warming to the possibility, McConnell has not given any commitment to police reform legislation.
Read it here: The Hill - Senate GOP shifts on police reformRead it here: The Hill - Senate GOP shifts on police reform
Keisha N Blain and Tom Zoellner have written for us today about how every time Black people challenge the established power structure they are characterized as criminals or radicals. They look back to how contemporaries wrote about the Haitian revolution and Sam Sharpe’s revolt in Jamaica, as well as Donald Trump description of the recent protests as “rioting” by an “angry mob”.Keisha N Blain and Tom Zoellner have written for us today about how every time Black people challenge the established power structure they are characterized as criminals or radicals. They look back to how contemporaries wrote about the Haitian revolution and Sam Sharpe’s revolt in Jamaica, as well as Donald Trump description of the recent protests as “rioting” by an “angry mob”.
You can read the piece in full here: ‘Riots’, ‘mobs’, ‘chaos’: the establishment always frames change as dangerousYou can read the piece in full here: ‘Riots’, ‘mobs’, ‘chaos’: the establishment always frames change as dangerous
The Rev Al Sharpton gave an emotional eulogy at George Floyd’s funeral yesterday - and in it he echoed some of the same sentiment that Barack Obama expressed last week, that the current wave of protests feels more multi-ethnic than any previous civil rights protests in the US.The Rev Al Sharpton gave an emotional eulogy at George Floyd’s funeral yesterday - and in it he echoed some of the same sentiment that Barack Obama expressed last week, that the current wave of protests feels more multi-ethnic than any previous civil rights protests in the US.
As Sharpton put it: “All over the world I’ve seen grandchildren of slave masters tearing down slave master statues”. It is well worth watching.As Sharpton put it: “All over the world I’ve seen grandchildren of slave masters tearing down slave master statues”. It is well worth watching.
If you missed it last night, Philadelphia’s street protested involved painting the names of victims of police brutality and racism in the road, alongside the message “end racism now”.If you missed it last night, Philadelphia’s street protested involved painting the names of victims of police brutality and racism in the road, alongside the message “end racism now”.
It was organised by John T. Brice, pastor of St. James United Methodist Church.It was organised by John T. Brice, pastor of St. James United Methodist Church.
One of those joining in was Capt. William Fisher of the 26th District of the Philadelphia police.One of those joining in was Capt. William Fisher of the 26th District of the Philadelphia police.
People prayed and “took the knee” after the painting was complete.People prayed and “took the knee” after the painting was complete.
Statues around the world are coming down, with protesters in Bristol, England throwing one slaver statue into the dock, and Belgium removing a vandalised statue of colonial King Leopold II in Antwerp. Last night a statue of Christopher Columbus was pulled down in Richmond’s Byrd Park, Virginia.Statues around the world are coming down, with protesters in Bristol, England throwing one slaver statue into the dock, and Belgium removing a vandalised statue of colonial King Leopold II in Antwerp. Last night a statue of Christopher Columbus was pulled down in Richmond’s Byrd Park, Virginia.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that the statue dates from 1927, and was the first figure of Columbus to be erected in the south of the US.The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that the statue dates from 1927, and was the first figure of Columbus to be erected in the south of the US.
Activist Chelsea Higgs Wise tweeted from the protest that “KKKolumbus is down”, and a sign saying “Racism you will not be missed” was placed by the edge of the lake where the statue was thrown.Activist Chelsea Higgs Wise tweeted from the protest that “KKKolumbus is down”, and a sign saying “Racism you will not be missed” was placed by the edge of the lake where the statue was thrown.
Virginia’s governor has pledged to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee from Richmond, but this has been temporarily halted by a judge.Virginia’s governor has pledged to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee from Richmond, but this has been temporarily halted by a judge.
The burial of George Floyd on Tuesday may have given his family some closure, but the wave of protests sparked by his killing at the hands of the police will continue today.The burial of George Floyd on Tuesday may have given his family some closure, but the wave of protests sparked by his killing at the hands of the police will continue today.
At 10am, the House Judiciary Committee will be holding an oversight hearing on policing practices and law enforcement accountability. Philonise Floyd, George Floyd’s brother, is among the witnesses called. Controversy continues over the handling by the NYPD of the people arrested in protests in New York.At 10am, the House Judiciary Committee will be holding an oversight hearing on policing practices and law enforcement accountability. Philonise Floyd, George Floyd’s brother, is among the witnesses called. Controversy continues over the handling by the NYPD of the people arrested in protests in New York.
In other US politics expected today, Joe Biden will attend a Biden finance event and then attend a virtual NAACP town hall on systemic racism. He spoke at George Floyd’s memorial yesterday, saying “Now is the time for racial justice.”In other US politics expected today, Joe Biden will attend a Biden finance event and then attend a virtual NAACP town hall on systemic racism. He spoke at George Floyd’s memorial yesterday, saying “Now is the time for racial justice.”
The White House diary has the president’s intelligence briefing in the morning, and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany will be holding a briefing at 2pm. Maybe there will be some further questions about why Donald Trump made his baseless claim that a 75-year-old pushed over by the police might be an “an antifa provocateur”.The White House diary has the president’s intelligence briefing in the morning, and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany will be holding a briefing at 2pm. Maybe there will be some further questions about why Donald Trump made his baseless claim that a 75-year-old pushed over by the police might be an “an antifa provocateur”.
We can also expect further reaction to the cancellations of shows and the pulling of films from streaming services as companies re-examine them in the light of the #BlackLivesMatter campaign.We can also expect further reaction to the cancellations of shows and the pulling of films from streaming services as companies re-examine them in the light of the #BlackLivesMatter campaign.
I’m Martin Belam, I’ll be running our coverage for a couple of hours until the New York office takes over. You can contact me at martin.belam@theguardian.comI’m Martin Belam, I’ll be running our coverage for a couple of hours until the New York office takes over. You can contact me at martin.belam@theguardian.com