From Jack Jodell at The Saturday Afternoon Post:
Predictably, protests and riots broke out all over Minneapolis and nearby St, Paul. Protesters were black, white, and Hispanic, and varied widely in age. Each was justifiably outraged! The protests were mainly peaceful, but at one point, several fires were started, and the 3rd Precinct building, where the cops had come from, was burned to the ground. The fires also severely damaged some nearby local businesses. (As I write this now, there appears to be some evidence that hate groups and neo-Nazi anarchists from outside the state may have cpme to Minnesota to infiltrate the crowds of demonstrating locals. It is uncertain if one of these outside agitators may or may not have started some of the fires and had added to the chaos and confusion. Investigations are now ongoing, and results should be announced fairly soon).
For several years, police had deservedly been the focus of wrath mainly among the local black community. Cops had been arresting African-Americans at a rate far greater than whites, Hispanics, Asians, or other minorities. All it took was one unjustified murder of a black by police to set off this tinderbox. It is a sad fact, but this racism has been nationwide, as current similar protests in dozens of other American cities have shown.
There seems to be something very needed yet severely lacking in police conduct almost everywhere. They are taught to project this preposterous tough-guy and aloof image, when a display of understanding and empathy would be infinitely better and much more befitting!
The motto we always associate with police is that they are there to protect and serve. However, in this case, they failed miserably to do either. On May 30, for example, cops launched cannisters of tear gas foom 2 drections and fired rubber bullets at protesters after curfew had started because they had failed to disperse – ignoring that they had been peaceful and non-confrontational that day up to that point. This is definitely NOT protecting, NOR is it serving!