Map: George Floyd protests around the world
NYPD officer seen in video shoving woman to ground is charged with assault
A New York City police officer who was seen in a video shoving a woman to the ground at a George Floyd protest in Brooklyn on May 29 is facing multiple charges, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office said.
Vincent D’Andraia turned himself in at the 84th Precinct in Brooklyn on Tuesday. He is charged with assault, criminal mischief, harassment and menacing in the incident the city’s police commissioner Dermot Shea has described as “troubling” and “disturbing.”
He is the first city police officer in New York to face arrest over his conduct during the large protests that have followed since Floyd, a black man, died on May 25 after a white officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes in Minneapolis during an arrest.
“I fully support the long-held American tradition of non-violent protest,” Brooklyn’s district attorney, Eric Gonzalez, said in a statement, adding that he “cannot tolerate the use of excessive force against anyone exercising this Constitutionally guaranteed right. This is especially true of those who are sworn to protect us and uphold the law.”
House leader Hoyer says Dems aim for vote on policing bill the week of June 22
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told reporters Tuesday that Democrats aim to put the policing overhaul bill that they unveiled this week to a floor vote by the week of June 22.
Hoyer laid out the timeline during his weekly pen and pad conversations with reporters, noting the plan could change depending on whether the bill will be ready by then.
The House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the legislation Wednesday and plans to mark up the measure next week. Hoyer urged Republicans to work with Democrats on crafting the final version by proposing amendments during the committee markup.
Asked about calls by some activists to defund police departments, Hoyer said, “Clearly we need our police departments,” but added, “We cannot tolerate either systemic racism in police departments or individual actions of police.”
George Floyd’s casket arrives at Houston church ahead of funeral
The casket carrying George Floyd arrived at a Houston church on Tuesday ahead of a funeral that’ll cap a three-state tribute to the man whose death has come to symbolize systemic racism in America.
Floyd’s loved ones are set to honor the Minneapolis man and Houston native at the Fountain of Praise church before he’s laid to rest at Houston Memorial Gardens in nearby Pearland, Texas.
His final resting place will be next to his mother, who he cried out for two week ago as a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Four former Minneapolis officers were fired and arrested in connection to Floyd’s death, which has touched off protests across the nation as Americans demand action against systemic racism and police brutality.
Al Roker and Craig Melvin talk about black fatherhood and raising sons
The protests against police brutality and racial injustice sparked by the death of George Floyd have also renewed the fears of many black fathers when it relates to their sons coming in contact with police.
Al Roker and Craig Melvin spoke with a trio of black fathers, Seith Mann, Ken Simril and Morgan Scott Tucker, on TODAY Tuesday and shared their own experiences of raising sons in a country where black men have had a fraught history with law enforcement.
“This is what scares me as a black man, as the father of a young black man — you can do everything right,” Craig said.
“I know a lot of people do tell their children, ‘Be polite, be respectful,”’ Mann said. “And I will certainly tell my son that, but I also recognize that is not a guarantee of his safety.”
Britain’s Parliament observes a minute’s silence in memory of George Floyd’s death
Britain’s Houses of Parliament came to a standstill on Tuesday, as both houses held a minute of silence in memory of George Floyd’s death.
“Racism has no place in U.K. Parliament: We believe black lives matter. Our parliamentary community stands with black friends and colleagues here and worldwide,” Britain’s legislature tweeted.
Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party, also tweeted his support.
“He must not become just another name. His death must be a catalyst for change,” said Starmer of Floyd, a black man killed by police in Minnesota.
London and other U.K. cities have seen a wave of solidarity protests since Floyd’s death. Over the weekend, the statue of a slave owner, Edward Colston, was toppled and thrown into a river by protesters in the English city of Bristol, sparking a debate about Britain’s relationship with race and colonialism.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in an online video Monday night that the death of Floyd had “awakened an anger and a widespread and incontrovertible, undeniable feeling of injustice” among many, but that the U.K. was a “much less racist society than we were.”
Rep. Scalise denounces defund police movement with personal story of being shot
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., criticized calls for defunding police departments, arguing that he wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for the Capitol Police officers who saved him during the congressional baseball shooting in 2017.
“I wouldn’t be alive today if it wasn’t for the heroic actions of police officers,” Scalise said Monday in an interview with Trump aide Mercedes Schlapp on the campaign’s Team Trump Online show. “The Capitol Police not only saved my life but so many others, that day three years ago on the baseball field.”
In 2017, Scalise and three other people were wounded when a gunman opened fire on members of the Republican congressional baseball team during a practice. The gunman was shot and later died.
