The Killing Of Blacks In Minneapolis By Officials Sharpens The Issue Of Racism

Ilustrasi (Jacob Morch / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The murder of a black citizen George Floyd because he was occupied by police officers has sharpened the issue of racism in the United States. The incident in Minneapolis prompted hundreds of blacks to take to the streets to stage demonstrations. In the aftermath, the four policemen involved in the incident were fired.

It all started when two Minneapolis police officers approached a vehicle parked on block 3700 Chicago Avenue South. According to CCTV footage from a shop received by The Washington Post, they were seen approaching the driver, known as George Floyd. One of the officers then handcuffed Floyd and sat on his neck.

Many residents witnessed the incident. One of them is Darnella Frazier, the person who recorded the incident and shared it on Facebook.

As more and more people witnessed what happened, Floyd began to moan in pain. According to Frazier's testimony in another of his videos described, the man's face was pressed so hard that his nose was bleeding. "You're just going to sit there with your knees to his neck?" asked a witness to the police.

A few minutes later, the man appeared motionless, his eyes closed and his head drooping in the street. "He didn't even move at all," said a witness who begged the police to stop him. Another witness asked the policeman "Did you kill him?"

Then, the man who was already unconscious was stretchered into the ambulance. The people who were still at the scene told the two policemen that the incident would haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Investigate the police to follow up on reports related to the forgery case allegedly carried out by Floyd. According to the police, he had to be paralyzed because he fought back. But the information is still vague. Meanwhile Minneapolis Police Chief, Medaria Arradondo asked the FBI to seek further cases.

Sparked demonstrations

The incident sparked hundreds of people to gather along the crime scene (TKP) and stage demonstrations. The crowd then staged a long march to the local police headquarters.

In front of the police headquarters, demonstrators then clashed with police. According to the Star Tribune, tear gas was fired to disperse the crowd.

This action is even more worrying in the midst of the pre-existing conditions of COVID-19. However, city officials said they would not try to stop the rallies to express public anger over Floyd's death.

In the aftermath of the incident, the four Minneapolis police officers involved were fired. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey supports that tough decision.

"This is the right decision for our city and our community. This is the right decision for the Minneapolis Police Department," Frey said when holding a press conference quoted by The Washington Post.

Sharpen the issue of discrimination

Still according to The Washington Post, law enforcement in the area has been heavily criticized in recent years for being considered an abuse of power. In 2016 for example, an officer from the St. Police Department. Anthony shoots and kills black citizen, Philando Castille.

The incident then came under fire from the public. This is because the victim was shot when he wanted to show his driving license and firearm license.

Meanwhile in 2017, a similar incident happened again. A Minneapolis police officer fatally shot 40-year-old Justine Damond after she called 911 to report a possible attack near her home. The incident of Damond's death coincided with the release of the officer who killed Castile. This incident further worsened the relationship between law enforcement and the community.

Most recently, a video of a white woman named Amy Cooper calling the police after a black man named Christian Cooper asked her to chain her dog in New York City went viral on social media. After that incident Amy Cooper was laid off from his job at an investment company.