In a huge win for protesters, three more officers have been charged in the killing of George Floyd. At the same time, Derek Chauvin, who pressed Floyd into the asphalt for ten minutes, has had his charge escalated. Chauvin’s charges have been upgraded to second-degree murder, instead of third-degree.
The other three officers, Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane, helped Chauvin apprehend Floyd. In videos from the scene, the three others officers keep onlookers from approaching Chauvin or Floyd. Their charges are rather serious: aiding and abetting murder.
The charges and the update of Chauvin’s charge were all seen in updated court documents Wednesday. Meanwhile, protests continue across the nation. The news comes even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Many small shops that advertise online business free as the viral threat spreads are now facing looting and destruction.
Notably, the death of Floyd on May 25 was the catalyst for a massive wave of protests in the US. Even outside of the US, protests in England, France, Australia, New Zealand and other countries showed solidarity with the US.
Protesters have pointed out that, in many cases, police brutality goes unpunished. Among the protesters, chants like “no justice, no peace” underscore their desire that police hold accountability. Ironically, many videos on social media have shown police departments responding to peaceful protests with tear gas and rubber bullets.
One such incident, caught on camera, has Charlotte police bottling a large number of protesters in a parking garage. After cornering them, the police fire tear gas. This tactic, known as kettling, is the opposite of a disbursement technique. The technique is, instead, a brutal way to inflict maximum harm on protesters.
Floyd Family Reacts to News
Following news of the updated charges on Wednesday, Floyd’s family released a statement through their lawyer. In a post on Twitter, Ben Crump wrote “We are deeply gratified that @AGEllison took decisive action, arresting & charging ALL the officers involved in #GeorgeFloyd’s death & upgrading the charge against Derek Chauvin to felony second-degree murder”.
Crump noted that the family felt the news was “bittersweet”. Floyd’s son, Quincy Mason Floyd, told reporters after the news broke “We demand justice. My father shouldn’t have been killed like this. We want justice”.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who Crump named in his tweet, is to speak on the sentencing later on Wednesday. Meanwhile, around the country, protests against police brutality continue even after this news. For the time being, it appears that the protesters have won a grim victory in their cause for justice.
