npr--2020-06-07--In A Place Of Tragedy People Resist And Find Solace

In A Place Of Tragedy People Resist And Find Solace The corner of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in south Minneapolis is the place where police brutality ended the life of a black man named George Floyd on May 25 , 2020 .
It was here that police officers held down the 46-year-old man that people called Perry , until his pulse stopped .
It was here where a passerby filmed his killing , shared it online and sparked an uprising that 's spread from this one corner to cities across the country , and now the world .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every day to protest , to remember and to find comfort .
`` It 's a community , '' said Nuny Nichols , 30 , a youth facilitator for Minneapolis Public Schools .
`` I know it sounds weird , but it has really brought people together . ''
On this day Nichols has her trunk propped open and she 's passing out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches , making walking tacos mixed in a Doritos bag , giving out hand sanitizer and anything else that demonstrators who spend night and day in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drawn here on the first days of protests .
On television she watched people breaking windows , setting fires and she decided she needed to see it for herself .
What she found was something else : people who understood her pain , who were as exhausted as she was and who were ready to make things change .
She 's been coming back to the intersection where Floyd was killed ever since .
And Nichols is not alone .
Scores of people who mourn Floyd come here to be together .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a daily remembrance .
The streets leading here are blocked off .
A black and white portrait is the backdrop of documenting resistance .
People pose for pictures with their fists in the air .
On the ground , piles of bouquets are sprinkled with handmade posters .
One asks , `` How long must we wait for Justice ? ''
`` We are the people of MINNEAPOLIS .
We are hurting enough .
We are struggling enough . ''
Some who visit knew him , but mostly it 's strangers who virtually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ familiar scene for black Americans .
`` Being a black person in America , you know , it 's just constant trauma after trauma after trauma , '' Nichols said .
`` And it 's like , when is it ever going to be time for us to breathe ? ''
This past week a key demand of protestors was met .
All four officers involved in Floyd 's killing are behind bars .
Protestors and the Floyd family wanted a first-degree murder charge for Derek Chauvin , the white police officer who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for nearly nine minutes as he begged for breathe and his late mother .
A second-degree murder charge was added this week .
The three other officers J. Alexander Kueng , Thomas Lane and Tou Thao were charged with aiding and abetting murder and appeared in court on Thursday .
But Nichols and her friend Shanay Oneal wonder if these charges would 've even been brought if parts of the city and the country did n't literally burn in an otherwise largely peaceful protest movement .
If law enforcement were n't witnessed pummeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , firing rubber bullets on them and using pepper spray .
`` That 's the only reason I feel like they 're even taking steps toward making it seem like they 're trying to help , '' Oneal , 29 , said .
`` If things would n't have gone the way they went with all the chaos , I do n't feel like we would have gotten this far at all ...
But is this what it takes to get a response ? ''
Nichols said she 's skeptical the charges will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we actually can get a conviction and we actually can get some police reform , then I 'll feel a lot better , '' Nichols said .
`` But right now , it 's kind of like a Band-Aid being put over a big gaping open wound . ''
That wound is why she comes to this place , to be with others who feel it and want to finally heal .
The charges , she said , are a tiny step on a much longer path to change .
`` What else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this does n't happen again ?
And to make sure that the black people in this country feel safe ?
Because at this point , I do n't feel safe , '' Nichols said .
Nearby a DJ has set up outside the gas station and music is blaring .
There are sizzling burgers on charcoal grills .
A food truck provides free sandwiches and people pass out food from tents that line parking lots and sidewalks .
As day turns into night , chants of `` say his name , George Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around .
The area is almost sacred ground .
Here law enforcement largely stay away even when the curfew descended upon the city .
Community groups provide security themselves , breaking up fights , cleaning up the area .
They point to this as an example of how things could be if public safety were reimagined .
Some here say they want reform , others want radical change : disbanding the police and starting over .
The system , they say , was built on the racism that stole Floyd 's life .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to process the pain together .
Taylor Winbush , 28 , said he now comes to this place for solace .
`` This is the best I 've felt in a couple days , coming out here , '' Winbush said .
`` Every day I 've come out here it grows a little bit .
You see people from all over Minneapolis , but you [ also ] see people coming from the suburbs and the rest of the state .
All different kinds of people . ''
Including people , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
Maybe this time is different .
But hope is hard when the long list of black people killed by police keeps growing .
The amount of civil unrest it 's taken just to get here is exhausting , he said .
`` How do you spend your whole life seeing people like you die on the news , not facing consequences ? ''
Taylor said .
`` My grandparents had the same thing , they marched in 1965 to Selma and we 're still here today marching for the same reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stands just a few steps from the spray painted outline of a body on the ground .
It marks the exact place Floyd was killed .
Winbush stops speaking .
He turns away , slips off his face mask and wipes away tears with his shirt .
It 's the first time he 's cried since Floyd was killed .
His friend , Aaron Leonard , 28 , steps in to speak for him , and for himself .
`` This is why this place is so powerful , '' Leonard said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ community to come and incite change , there needs to be a change ... and until we have allies and other people that do n't look like us , that can come down and say , I see what you 're talking about .
I understand what you 're talking about . ''
Only then , when the country faces it 's violent past can it rectify its future , he said .
`` People are now finally getting charged .
Is that a step in the right direction ?
Yes , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure that we take a step up from there and create overall change .
So when he talks about his grandparents marching on Selma , we can tell our kids that we marched in Minneapolis . ''
NPR would like to hear about your reaction to the high-profile deaths of African Americans in recent months and your personal experience as a black person in America .
Please share your story here or in the form below , and a reporter might contact you .

In A Place Of Tragedy People Resist And Find Solace
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Urquhart for NPR Jim Urquhart for NPR
The corner of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in south Minneapolis is the place where police brutality ended the life of a black man named George Floyd on May 25, 2020.
It was here that police officers held down the 46-year-old man that people called Perry, until his pulse stopped. It was here where a passerby filmed his killing, shared it online and sparked an uprising that's spread from this one corner to cities across the country, and now the world.
And it's here now where people gather every day to protest, to remember and to find comfort.
"It's a community," said Nuny Nichols, 30, a youth facilitator for Minneapolis Public Schools. "I know it sounds weird, but it has really brought people together."
On this day Nichols has her trunk propped open and she's passing out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, making walking tacos mixed in a Doritos bag, giving out hand sanitizer and anything else that demonstrators who spend night and day in this spot might need.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Urquhart for NPR Jim Urquhart for NPR
She was drawn here on the first days of protests. On television she watched people breaking windows, setting fires and she decided she needed to see it for herself.
What she found was something else: people who understood her pain, who were as exhausted as she was and who were ready to make things change. She's been coming back to the intersection where Floyd was killed ever since.
And Nichols is not alone. Scores of people who mourn Floyd come here to be together. At least temporarily this corner is transformed into a daily remembrance.
The streets leading here are blocked off. A black and white portrait is the backdrop of documenting resistance. People pose for pictures with their fists in the air. On the ground, piles of bouquets are sprinkled with handmade posters. One asks, "How long must we wait for Justice?"
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Urquhart for NPR Jim Urquhart for NPR
Signs are stapled to a nearby utility pole.
"WANTED for MURDER Minneapolis Police Officers and Accomplices."
"We are the people of MINNEAPOLIS. We are hurting enough. We are struggling enough."
Some who visit knew him, but mostly it's strangers who virtually witnessed his killing, an all too familiar scene for black Americans.
"Being a black person in America, you know, it's just constant trauma after trauma after trauma," Nichols said. "And it's like, when is it ever going to be time for us to breathe?"
This past week a key demand of protestors was met. All four officers involved in Floyd's killing are behind bars. Protestors and the Floyd family wanted a first-degree murder charge for Derek Chauvin, the white police officer who held his knee to Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes as he begged for breath and his late mother. A second-degree murder charge was added this week. The three other officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao were charged with aiding and abetting murder and appeared in court on Thursday.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Urquhart for NPR Jim Urquhart for NPR
But Nichols and her friend Shanay Oneal wonder if these charges would've even been brought if parts of the city and the country didn't literally burn in an otherwise largely peaceful protest movement. If law enforcement weren't witnessed pummeling peaceful demonstrators and journalists with tear gas, firing rubber bullets on them and using pepper spray.
"That's the only reason I feel like they're even taking steps toward making it seem like they're trying to help," Oneal, 29, said. "If things wouldn't have gone the way they went with all the chaos, I don't feel like we would have gotten this far at all...But is this what it takes to get a response?"
Nichols said she's skeptical the charges will lead to real change.
"If we actually can get a conviction and we actually can get some police reform, then I'll feel a lot better," Nichols said. "But right now, it's kind of like a Band-Aid being put over a big gaping open wound."
That wound is why she comes to this place, to be with others who feel it and want to finally heal. The charges, she said, are a tiny step on a much longer path to change.
"What else are we doing to make sure that this doesn't happen again? And to make sure that the black people in this country feel safe? Because at this point, I don't feel safe," Nichols said.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Urquhart for NPR Jim Urquhart for NPR
Nearby a DJ has set up outside the gas station and music is blaring. There are sizzling burgers on charcoal grills. A food truck provides free sandwiches and people pass out food from tents that line parking lots and sidewalks.
As day turns into night, chants of "say his name, George Floyd" echo and a megaphone gets passed around. The area is almost sacred ground. Here law enforcement largely stay away even when the curfew descended upon the city. Community groups provide security themselves, breaking up fights, cleaning up the area. They point to this as an example of how things could be if public safety were reimagined.
Some here say they want reform, others want radical change: disbanding the police and starting over. The system, they say, was built on the racism that stole Floyd's life. Either way, everyone here is trying to process the pain together.
Taylor Winbush, 28, said he now comes to this place for solace.
"This is the best I've felt in a couple days, coming out here," Winbush said. "Every day I've come out here it grows a little bit. You see people from all over Minneapolis, but you [also] see people coming from the suburbs and the rest of the state. All different kinds of people."
Including people, he said, that don't look like him. Maybe this time is different. But hope is hard when the long list of black people killed by police keeps growing. The amount of civil unrest it's taken just to get here is exhausting, he said.
"How do you spend your whole life seeing people like you die on the news, not facing consequences?" Taylor said. "My grandparents had the same thing, they marched in 1965 to Selma and we're still here today marching for the same reason. It's tiring."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Urquhart for NPR Jim Urquhart for NPR
He stands just a few steps from the spray painted outline of a body on the ground. It marks the exact place Floyd was killed.
Winbush stops speaking. He turns away, slips off his face mask and wipes away tears with his shirt. It's the first time he's cried since Floyd was killed.
His friend, Aaron Leonard, 28, steps in to speak for him, and for himself.
"This is why this place is so powerful," Leonard said. "This is a place for the community to come and incite change, there needs to be a change...and until we have allies and other people that don't look like us, that can come down and say, I see what you're talking about. I understand what you're talking about."
Only then, when the country faces its violent past can it rectify its future, he said.
"People are now finally getting charged. Is that a step in the right direction? Yes," Leonard said. "But we need to make sure that we take a step up from there and create overall change. So when he talks about his grandparents marching on Selma, we can tell our kids that we marched in Minneapolis."
NPR would like to hear about your reaction to the high-profile deaths of African Americans in recent months and your personal experience as a black person in America. Please share your story here or in the form below, and a reporter might contact you.


npr--2020-06-07--TikTok Pivots From Dance Moves To A Racial Justice Movement

When Raisha Doumbia , a 20-year-old swimming instructor in Roswell , Ga. , first downloaded the video-sharing app TikTok , she made lighthearted posts , like her lip-syncing and dancing to a song by the British girl group Little Mix .
But Doumbia paused the playful routines after George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis .
Now she is using her TikTok feed to urge followers to march for racial justice .
`` I was just so disgusted that I felt like I needed to say something , so I started to speak out , even though I had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Soon , she had more than 60,000 followers as her videos in support of the protests gained traction .
`` So many had a blind eye to racial injustice , especially young people who are n't even being taught about it and their parents are n't talking about it , '' Doumbia said .
`` So it 's really beneficial for the next generation to be experiencing it on TikTok . ''
Doumbia is far from alone .
Videos with the # blacklivesmatter hashtag have skyrocketed to a top spot on TikTok @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent days .
Other popular hashtags include # blackvoices and # blackmusic .
Some prominent white TikTok users are contributing to the movement , like Charli D'Amelio , a 16-year-old TikTok superstar who lives in Norwalk , Conn. She normally posts dance videos .
But in the wake of George Floyd 's death , she told her 60 million fans that she was having a somber moment of reflection .
`` As a person who has been given the platform to be an influencer , I realized that with that title , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the racial inequalities in the world right now , '' she said in a recent video .
Analyst Deborah Aho Williamson of eMarketer , who studies social media trends , said many TikTok users are so young that they have yet to reckon with weighty issues like police brutality and racial bias .
`` For the first time , they might be exploring how they feel about these issues and being able to do that on TikTok and see other young people who are expressing similar things , I think it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Teens and 20-somethings have flocked to TikTok in the two years that it has been available in the U.S .
It gained an even bigger following as many people stayed at home because of the coronavirus pandemic .
In recent months , TikTok has emerged as the most-downloaded app in the world , outpacing Zoom , WhatsApp and Facebook .
Something can go viral nearly instantaneously on many social media platforms , but TikTok stands out for how rapidly a user can acquire a large following after sharing just a single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Williamson noted .
Short and breezy videos that are funny or feature animals or cooking trends typically dominate TikTok , yet national upheaval over systemic racism has tapped into raw emotion that is also deeply resonating .
All of a sudden , TikTok has become the go-to forum for burgeoning youth activism .
`` Anger , dismay , disgust and unhappiness are all feelings that can be easily transmitted on a video on Tik Tok , '' Aho Williamson said .
Activism arrived on TikTok just as scrutiny of its parent company , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests began to sweep the nation , black creators noticed that videos tagged # GeorgeFloyd or # BlackLivesMatter were hard to find , or looked as though no one had watched them despite a torrent of views .
To some users , it was a suspicious development , considering that ByteDance has censored videos of anti-Beijing protests in Hong Kong , in addition to having been exposed for previously suppressing posts from users deemed too unattractive or undesirable for the platform .
TikTok insists that is not what happened in the U.S .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and blamed the problem on a `` technical glitch . ''
`` Nevertheless , we understand that many assumed this bug to be an intentional act to suppress the experiences and invalidate the emotions felt by the black community .
And we know we have work to do to regain and repair that trust , '' said Vanessa Pappas , TikTok 's general manager for the U.S .
Many black TikTok users still remain skeptical of the company 's intentions .
Doumbia had gained a sizable following from her videos related to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her recent posts about police brutality and street demonstrators are being seen by just a sliver of her audience .
It 's a practice that has become known as shadow banning , when TikTok quietly demotes someone 's videos , and black creators like Doumbia feel like the app is targeting them .
It is an accusation that has been lodged by many on TikTok , with the hashtag # shadowbanned having received more than 127 million views on the platform .
`` It just does n't make sense that I have tens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to me for videos about the protests , but I only get like 500 views on the posts , '' she said .
`` It just does n't make any sense to me . ''
Doumbia also points to the main feed on the app , known as the For You page .
It 's a personalized mix of accounts that a user chooses to follow and videos TikTok thinks they will enjoy based on other videos they 've liked or watched .
Lately , though , Doumbia said a curious thing has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Lives Matter posts , but I do n't see any posts on my For You about Black Lives Matter , so it seems like they are still covering it up because it 's too political for them , '' Doumbia said .
She has begun doing videos explaining why she distrusts the app .
A TikTok spokesperson denied to NPR that the company engages in shadow banning but would not discuss engagement on any individual account .
`` Like virtually all social platforms , our recommendations take into account users ' preferences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow and the videos they engage with , '' the TikTok spokesperson said .
`` TikTok 's systems also work to intersperse recommendations that might fall outside these expressed preferences to give an opportunity to discover new categories of content . ''
For some black creators , TikTok is not problem , but rather other users , as unwelcome comments have at times greeted videos about racial inequality and police brutality .
When 17-year-old Kai Harris of Mount Laurel , N.J. posted a video about going to a Black Lives Matter protest , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offensive comments .
`` They 're like , ' I came here for a good time .
I came here to laugh and dance , and you 're bringing me down with all this stuff , ' '' Harris said .
`` And I 'm like , 'The fact that this is happening is bringing me down . '
'' Harris , whos is active in high school theater and has grown her TikTok following of more than 260,000 , can not imagine going back to only making dance videos now .
George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the way police treat black people .
`` I do not want to grow up in a world where this keeps happening , so I decided , 'You know what ?
I 've been silent on these issues sometimes .
I do n't share my opinions , but I need to share them now , ' '' she said .
Harris said she remembers when Trayvon Martin was killed in 2012 .
But back then , she did not grasp the full weight of that moment because she was just 10 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she 's ready to change some minds — one 30-second TikTok video at a time .
`` People are telling me that they 're talking to and calling out their relatives and friends on these issues , '' Harris said .
`` And that 's what I want : for people to understand our emotions and why this is a movement , because we want change and we want the harm to stop . ''

TikTok Pivots From Dance Moves To A Racial Justice Movement
Enlarge this image toggle caption TikTok screenshots by NPR TikTok screenshots by NPR
When Raisha Doumbia, a 20-year-old swimming instructor in Roswell, Ga., first downloaded the video-sharing app TikTok, she made lighthearted posts, like her lip-syncing and dancing to a song by the British girl group Little Mix.
But Doumbia paused the playful routines after George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis. Now she is using her TikTok feed to urge followers to march for racial justice.
"I was just so disgusted that I felt like I needed to say something, so I started to speak out, even though I had like 13 followers," she said.
Soon, she had more than 60,000 followers as her videos in support of the protests gained traction.
"So many had a blind eye to racial injustice, especially young people who aren't even being taught about it and their parents aren't talking about it," Doumbia said. "So it's really beneficial for the next generation to be experiencing it on TikTok."
Advocating for racial justice, 30 seconds at a time
Doumbia is far from alone. Videos with the #blacklivesmatter hashtag have skyrocketed to a top spot on TikTok, accruing more than 6 billion views in recent days. Other popular hashtags include #blackvoices and #blackmusic.
Some prominent white TikTok users are contributing to the movement, like Charli D'Amelio, a 16-year-old TikTok superstar who lives in Norwalk, Conn. She normally posts dance videos. But in the wake of George Floyd's death, she told her 60 million fans that she was having a somber moment of reflection.
"As a person who has been given the platform to be an influencer, I realized that with that title, I have a job to inform people about the racial inequalities in the world right now," she said in a recent video.
Analyst Deborah Aho Williamson of eMarketer, who studies social media trends, said many TikTok users are so young that they have yet to reckon with weighty issues like police brutality and racial bias.
"For the first time, they might be exploring how they feel about these issues and being able to do that on TikTok and see other young people who are expressing similar things, I think it's really valid and valuable," she said.
Teens and 20-somethings have flocked to TikTok in the two years that it has been available in the U.S. It gained an even bigger following as many people stayed at home because of the coronavirus pandemic. In recent months, TikTok has emerged as the most-downloaded app in the world, outpacing Zoom, WhatsApp and Facebook.
Something can go viral nearly instantaneously on many social media platforms, but TikTok stands out for how rapidly a user can acquire a large following after sharing just a single video that strikes a chord, Aho Williamson noted.
Short and breezy videos that are funny or feature animals or cooking trends typically dominate TikTok, yet national upheaval over systemic racism has tapped into raw emotion that is also deeply resonating.
All of a sudden, TikTok has become the go-to forum for burgeoning youth activism.
"Anger, dismay, disgust and unhappiness are all feelings that can be easily transmitted on a video on Tik Tok," Aho Williamson said.
Black creators accuse TikTok of suppression
Activism arrived on TikTok just as scrutiny of its parent company, the Chinese-owned ByteDance, intensified.
As protests began to sweep the nation, black creators noticed that videos tagged #GeorgeFloyd or #BlackLivesMatter were hard to find, or looked as though no one had watched them despite a torrent of views.
To some users, it was a suspicious development, considering that ByteDance has been accused of censoring videos of anti-Beijing protests in Hong Kong, in addition to having been exposed for previously suppressing posts from users deemed too unattractive or undesirable for the platform.
TikTok insists that is not what happened in posts related to Black Lives Matter. In an about-face, the company apologized and blamed the problem on a "technical glitch."
"Nevertheless, we understand that many assumed this bug to be an intentional act to suppress the experiences and invalidate the emotions felt by the black community. And we know we have work to do to regain and repair that trust," said Vanessa Pappas, TikTok's general manager for the U.S.
Many black TikTok users still remain skeptical of the company's intentions, said Kadisha Phillips, a social media strategist with Carbon Clutch, Inc.
"This caused some real reputational damage in the black TikTok creator community," Phillips said. "And making matters worse is that users are still reporting that videos are being removed or suppressed."
Doumbia said she is good exapmle of this. She had gained a sizable following from her videos related to the George Floyd protests, although many of her recent posts about police brutality and street demonstrators are being seen by just a sliver of her audience.
It's a practice that has become known as shadow banning, when TikTok quietly demotes someone's videos, and black creators like Doumbia feel like the app is targeting them. It is an accusation that has been lodged by many on TikTok, with the hashtag #shadowbanned having received more than 127 million views on the platform.
"It just doesn't make sense that I have tens of thousands of new followers who came to me for videos about the protests, but I only get like 500 views on the posts," she said. "It just doesn't make any sense to me."
Doumbia also points to the main feed on the app, known as the For You page. It's a personalized mix of accounts that a user chooses to follow and videos TikTok thinks they will enjoy based on other videos they've liked or watched.
Lately, though, Doumbia said a curious thing has been happening.
"I only like Black Lives Matter posts, but I don't see any posts on my For You about Black Lives Matter, so it seems like they are still covering it up because it's too political for them," Doumbia said.
She has begun doing videos explaining why she distrusts the app.
A TikTok spokesperson denied to NPR that the company engages in shadow banning.
"Like virtually all social platforms, our recommendations take into account users' preferences based on things like the creators they follow and the videos they engage with," the TikTok spokesperson said. "TikTok's systems also work to intersperse recommendations that might fall outside these expressed preferences to give an opportunity to discover new categories of content."
Black creators face racism on TikTok
For some black creators, TikTok is not problem, but rather other users, as unwelcome comments have at times greeted videos about racial inequality and police brutality.
When 17-year-old Kai Harris of Mount Laurel, N.J. posted a video about going to a Black Lives Matter protest, some viewers responded with racist and other offensive comments.
"They're like, 'I came here for a good time. I came here to laugh and dance, and you're bringing me down with all this stuff,'" Harris said. "And I'm like, 'The fact that this is happening is bringing me down.'"
Harris, whos is active in high school theater and has grown her TikTok following of more than 260,000, cannot imagine going back to only making dance videos now. George Floyd's death has her thinking nonstop about the way police treat black people.
"I do not want to grow up in a world where this keeps happening, so I decided, 'You know what? I've been silent on these issues sometimes. I don't share my opinions, but I need to share them now,'" she said.
Harris said she remembers when Trayvon Martin was killed in 2012. But back then, she did not grasp the full weight of that moment because she was just 10 years old. Now that she is 17, she's ready to change some minds — one 30-second TikTok video at a time.
"People are telling me that they're talking to and calling out their relatives and friends on these issues," Harris said. "And that's what I want: for people to understand our emotions and why this is a movement, because we want change and we want the harm to stop."


npr--2020-06-06--Photos: A Look At The Massive D.C. Protests Over Police Brutality

Photos : A Look At The Massive D.C .
Protests Over Police Brutality Tens of thousands of demonstrators crisscrossed Washington @ @ @ @ @ , as protests against police brutality in the nation 's capital continued into a second @ @ @ @ @ gathered peacefully at several major landmarks , from the Lincoln Memorial to the U.S. Capitol @ @ @ @ @ Lives Matter Plaza .
The protests , sparked by the May 25 killing of George @ @ @ @ @ the city 's biggest yet since a white Minneapolis officer pinned the 46-year-old black man @ @ @ @ @ knee until he died .

Photos: A Look At The Massive D.C. Protests Over Police Brutality
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tyrone Turner/WAMU Tyrone Turner/WAMU
Tens of thousands of demonstrators crisscrossed Washington, D.C., on Saturday, as protests against police brutality in the nation's capital continued into a second straight weekend.
Multiple groups gathered peacefully at several major landmarks, from the Lincoln Memorial to the U.S. Capitol to the newly minted Black Lives Matter Plaza.
The protests, sparked by the May 25 killing of George Floyd by police, are the city's biggest yet since a white Minneapolis officer pinned the 46-year-old black man to the ground with his knee until he died.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tyrone Turner/WAMU Tyrone Turner/WAMU
Enlarge this image toggle caption Cheryl Diaz Meyer for NPR Cheryl Diaz Meyer for NPR
Enlarge this image toggle caption Cheryl Diaz Meyer for NPR Cheryl Diaz Meyer for NPR
Enlarge this image toggle caption Cheryl Diaz Meyer for NPR Cheryl Diaz Meyer for NPR
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tyrone Turner/WAMU Tyrone Turner/WAMU
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eman Mohammed for NPR Eman Mohammed for NPR
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eman Mohammed for NPR Eman Mohammed for NPR


npr--2020-06-06--Peaceful Anti-Police Brutality Protests Continue Across The Country

The flame ignited by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis still burned bright in cities across the country Saturday as largely peaceful anti-police brutality and Black Lives Matter protests continued with some of their biggest crowds yet .
In addition to the massive crowds that gathered in Washington , protesters in cities from Philadelphia to San Francisco are calling for racial justice and pressuring local officials to defund police departments in the second weekend of demonstrations since Floyd 's death .
Protests sprawled across New York City Saturday as thousands gathered from Manhattan to Brooklyn to demand an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , called The March for Stolen Lives and Looted Dreams , marched more than 100 blocks from 110th & Central Park West to Washington Square Park , convening thousands to demand that Mayor Bill De Blasio defund the New York Police Department , according to a Facebook event page for the demonstration .
De Blasio has been criticized for continuing the city 's curfew and standing behind police actions , even as videos of police cars running over protesters sparked outrage online .
`` Time after time , these cops get away with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we want some change , '' one protester called Robel , who would only identify himself by his first name for fear of retaliation , told NPR .
The city where George Floyd died at the hands of police saw another day of protests Saturday , as thousands gathered in a peaceful rally to demand the defunding of the Minneapolis Police Department .
Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar spoke at the rally , saying diversity training is not enough to erase systemic racism in policing .
`` We 've all seen what happens when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'Let 's invest in diversity training . '
Maybe if we teach them that just because I am a different color and a different gender , maybe they 'll treat me kinder , '' Omar said .
`` Let 's try to explain our humanity and make them see us as dignified people .
Maybe that will stop them from killing us . ''
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was met with a chorus of boos at a rally near his home after he said he would not commit to abolishing the city 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show Frey addressing protesters .
`` I know there needs to be deep-seated structural reform in terms of how this department operates , '' he said .
`` The systemic and racist system needs to be revamped .
The police union needs to be put in its place . ''
When asked by a protester if he would commit to defunding the police department , Frey shook his head .
Protesters booed him as he walked away .
Some also chanted `` shame '' and `` Go home Jacob , go home .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Minneapolis `` twin city '' of St. Paul observed a socially distant sit-in to protest racial discrimination in health care , Minnesota Public Radio reported .
Philadelphia saw its largest protests yet Saturday , when thousands of demonstrators marched past various city landmarks in peaceful rallies against police brutality .
More than 14,000 responded to a Facebook event page for a march from the iconic Philadelphia Art Museum to City Hall organized by the city 's branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation .
Organizers demanded that Mayor Jim Kenney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police and that Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw resign , according to the event description .
Those demands come after widespread backlash to videos of Philadelphia police unleashing tear gas on protesters cornered on a highway during a demonstration Monday , member station WHYY reported .
Both Police Commissioner Outlaw and Mayor Kenney kneeled with protesters at Saturday demonstrations , the Philadelphia Inquirer reported , but the mayor has not called off the city 's curfew , which resumed Saturday night at 8 p.m. and will last until 6 a.m. Sunday morning .
Demonstrators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union Park for a rally against police brutality that led into a march on the city 's West Side , The Associated Press reported .
Estimates from police and organizers put the rally 's turnout between 20,000 and 30,000 people .
Police said Saturday afternoon there had been no arrests at the peaceful protest , The Washington Post reported .
Mayor Lori Lightfoot had previously shut down parts of the city 's Lake Shore Drive to facilitate protests and set a 9 p.m. curfew for the city , the Chicago Tribune reported .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chicago Teachers Union held a march with students and other organizations to announce its support of the effort to remove police officers from schools .
Districts in several other cities , including including in Minneapolis and Portland , have already moved to cut ties with police ( often called `` resource officers '' ) in schools .
Thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters marched across San Francisco 's iconic Golden Gate Bridge Saturday , stretching the length of the 1.7-mile landmark and eventually moving into the driving lanes to stop traffic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to host a racial justice march called `` Taking A Knee For Change '' that convened in San Francisco 's Candlestick Park , once home to the city 's football team , the 49ers .
The march , though dedicated to the recently killed George Floyd , Breonna Taylor and and Ahmaud Arbery , was also an homage to the NFL racial justice protests started by then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick , said organizers .
`` We are taking a knee to amplify the voice of oppressed people just like Colin did , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement , according to member station KQED .
Demonstrators in Seattle gathered in several areas around the city , including Capitol Hill and the police department 's East Precinct , the Seattle Times reports .
Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best announced a temporary ban on the use of tear gas on Friday , joining several other cities in their decision .
Thousands of health care workers marched from Harborview Medical Center to Seattle City Hall in an event they called # WhiteCoatsForBlackLives Demonstrations were largely peaceful during the day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fell .
Seattle police said in a tweet that items they called `` improvised explosives '' were thrown by demonstrators , injuring `` several officers . ''
The department said the incident took place as protesters were trying to move barricades at 11th and Pine Streets despite police commands to stop .
However , others in the area said police had `` escalated a peaceful protest '' by using flash bangs .
Seattle City Council President Maria Lorena González called for the use of flash bangs and pepper spray to `` stop immediately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` erode community trust . ''
Protesters in Portland gathered at Revolution Hall and marched across the city .
Demonstrations also took place at the Multnomah County Justice Center , which houses the county jail and police headquarters .
Police said hundreds were still gathered at the Justice Center Saturday night .
Demonstrators have gathered there every night since protests began in the city .
Last Sunday , a small fire was lit inside the building .
As with other nights , police later declared an unlawful assembly .
Though large cities have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , peaceful demonstrations also continue in America 's smaller cities and towns .
More than one thousand protesters gathered in Saginaw , Mich. , a city of less than 50,000 for a Black Lives Matter rally Saturday , according to MLive .
Protests against Floyd 's death also convened today in Elizabethtown , Penn.
, a borough of fewer than 12,000 residents , PennLive reported .
In Meridian , a small Mississippi city , NBC affiliate WLBT reported that hundreds joined a peaceful march against police brutality and racial injustice , holding signs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breathe , breathe through me , justice and peace , we will see . ''
According to a USA Today protest tracker , there have been demonstrations in response to George Floyd 's death in all 50 states .
NPR 's Brian Mann and Leila Fadel contributed to this report .

Peaceful Anti-Police Brutality Protests Continue Across The Country
Enlarge this image toggle caption Craig Ruttle/AP Craig Ruttle/AP
Updated 3:45 a.m. ET Sunday
The flame ignited by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis still burned bright in cities across the country Saturday as largely peaceful anti-police brutality and Black Lives Matter protests continued with some of their biggest crowds yet.
In addition to the massive crowds that gathered in Washington, protesters in cities from Philadelphia to San Francisco are calling for racial justice and pressuring local officials to defund police departments in the second weekend of demonstrations since Floyd's death.
New York City
Protests sprawled across New York City Saturday as thousands gathered from Manhattan to Brooklyn to demand an end to police brutality.
One protest, called The March for Stolen Lives and Looted Dreams, marched more than 100 blocks from 110th & Central Park West to Washington Square Park, convening thousands to demand that Mayor Bill De Blasio defund the New York Police Department, according to a Facebook event page for the demonstration.
De Blasio has been criticized for continuing the city's curfew and standing behind police actions, even as videos of police cars running over protesters sparked outrage online.
"Time after time, these cops get away with it for the most part, so we want some change," one protester called Robel, who would only identify himself by his first name for fear of retaliation, told NPR.
Minneapolis
The city where George Floyd died at the hands of police saw another day of protests Saturday, as thousands gathered in a peaceful rally to demand the defunding of the Minneapolis Police Department.
Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar spoke at the rally, saying diversity training is not enough to erase systemic racism in policing.
"We've all seen what happens when good people of good conscience say, 'Let's invest in diversity training.' Maybe if we teach them that just because I am a different color and a different gender, maybe they'll treat me kinder," Omar said. "Let's try to explain our humanity and make them see us as dignified people. Maybe that will stop them from killing us."
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was met with a chorus of boos at a rally near his home after he said he would not commit to abolishing the city's police department.
Videos on social media show Frey addressing protesters. "I know there needs to be deep-seated structural reform in terms of how this department operates," he said. "The systemic and racist system needs to be revamped. The police union needs to be put in its place."
When asked by a protester if he would commit to defunding the police department, Frey shook his head. Protesters booed him as he walked away. Some also chanted "shame" and "Go home Jacob, go home."
Also Saturday, health care providers in the Minneapolis "twin city" of St. Paul observed a socially distant sit-in to protest racial discrimination in health care, Minnesota Public Radio reported.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia saw its largest protests yet Saturday, when thousands of demonstrators marched past various city landmarks in peaceful rallies against police brutality.
More than 14,000 responded to a Facebook event page for a march from the iconic Philadelphia Art Museum to City Hall organized by the city's branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Organizers demanded that Mayor Jim Kenney and the city council defund the Philadelphia police and that Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw resign, according to the event description.
Those demands come after widespread backlash to videos of Philadelphia police unleashing tear gas on protesters cornered on a highway during a demonstration Monday, member station WHYY reported.
Both Police Commissioner Outlaw and Mayor Kenney kneeled with protesters at Saturday demonstrations, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported, but the mayor has not called off the city's curfew, which resumed Saturday night at 8 p.m. and will last until 6 a.m. Sunday morning.
Chicago
Demonstrators in Chicago gathered in the city's Union Park for a rally against police brutality that led into a march on the city's West Side, The Associated Press reported.
Estimates from police and organizers put the rally's turnout between 20,000 and 30,000 people. Police said Saturday afternoon there had been no arrests at the peaceful protest, The Washington Post reported.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nam Y. Huh/AP Nam Y. Huh/AP
Mayor Lori Lightfoot had previously shut down parts of the city's Lake Shore Drive to facilitate protests and set a 9 p.m. curfew for the city, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The Union Park rally came just after the Chicago Teachers Union held a march with students and other organizations to announce its support of the effort to remove police officers from schools. Districts in several other cities, including including in Minneapolis and Portland, have already moved to cut ties with police (often called "resource officers") in schools.
San Francisco
Thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters marched across San Francisco's iconic Golden Gate Bridge Saturday, stretching the length of the 1.7-mile landmark and eventually moving into the driving lanes to stop traffic.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Chiu/AP Jeff Chiu/AP
Several Bay Area labor unions also joined to host a racial justice march called "Taking A Knee For Change" that convened in San Francisco's Candlestick Park, once home to the city's football team, the 49ers. The march, though dedicated to the recently killed George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and and Ahmaud Arbery, was also an homage to the NFL racial justice protests started by then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, said organizers.
"We are taking a knee to amplify the voice of oppressed people just like Colin did," said union member Derrick Boutte in a statement, according to member station KQED.
Seattle
Demonstrators in Seattle gathered in several areas around the city, including Capitol Hill and the police department's East Precinct, the Seattle Times reports. Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best announced a temporary ban on the use of tear gas on Friday, joining several other cities in their decision.
Thousands of health care workers marched from Harborview Medical Center to Seattle City Hall in an event they called #WhiteCoatsForBlackLives
Demonstrations were largely peaceful during the day, but police and protesters clashed as night fell.
Seattle police said in a tweet that items they called "improvised explosives" were thrown by demonstrators, injuring "several officers." The department said the incident took place as protesters were trying to move barricades at 11th and Pine Streets despite police commands to stop.
However, others in the area said police had "escalated a peaceful protest" by using flash bangs.
Seattle City Council President Maria Lorena González called for the use of flash bangs and pepper spray to "stop immediately," and said such actions would "erode community trust."
Portland
Protesters in Portland gathered at Revolution Hall and marched across the city. Demonstrations also took place at the Multnomah County Justice Center, which houses the county jail and police headquarters.
Police said hundreds were still gathered at the Justice Center Saturday night. Demonstrators have gathered there every night since protests began in the city. Last Sunday, a small fire was lit inside the building. As with other nights, police later declared an unlawful assembly.
Smaller Towns & Cities
Though large cities have seen more consistent protests with greater turnout, peaceful demonstrations also continue in America's smaller cities and towns.
More than one thousand protesters gathered in Saginaw, Mich., a city of less than 50,000 for a Black Lives Matter rally Saturday, according to MLive. Protests against Floyd's death also convened today in Elizabethtown, Penn., a borough of fewer than 12,000 residents, PennLive reported. In Meridian, a small Mississippi city, NBC affiliate WLBT reported that hundreds joined a peaceful march against police brutality and racial injustice, holding signs and chanting, "I can't breathe, breathe through me, justice and peace, we will see."
According to a USA Today protest tracker, there have been demonstrations in response to George Floyd's death in all 50 states.
NPR's Brian Mann and Leila Fadel contributed to this report.


npr--2020-06-06--George Floyd, Who 'Sparked The Fuse,' Honored In North Carolina Service

George Floyd , Who 'Sparked The Fuse , ' Honored In North Carolina Service In a service punctuated throughout by moments of ecstatic worship and praise , the family of George Floyd gathered in Raeford , N.C. to honor the life of a man who was killed by Minneapolis police nearly two weeks ago .
Floyd 's family arrived dressed in white for the private memorial service at Cape Fear Conference B Headquarters of the United American Free Will Baptist Denomination near Fayetteville , N.C. , Floyd 's birthplace , on Saturday afternoon .
Mourners were led in invocations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Isaac Floyd , sang .
Ruby Floyd , another family member , told the crowd , `` God is on our side . ''
Several public officials also joined the family , including members of the state 's congressional delegation , Democrat G.K. Butterfield and Republican Richard Hudson .
A spokesman for North Carolina Gov .
Roy Cooper presented the family with a flag that had flown at the state Capitol .
`` In his living and in his dying , he has pleased God .
He has woke all of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Collins , said .
Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin , who also spoke , had a message for fellow law enforcement officers , `` It do n't mean nothing if you ca n't say these six words : We are part of the problem . ''
In a stirring eulogy , the Rev .
Dr. Christopher D. Stackhouse referred to Floyd as a gentle giant who enjoyed mayonnaise and banana sandwiches .
He invoked Floyd 's name several times throughout , telling the audience of the despair in seeing another black person die @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Although it took 8 minutes and 46 seconds for him to die , it took 401 years to put the system in place for nothing to happen , '' said Stackhouse , mentioning the amount of time then-officer Derek Chauvin was seen kneeling on Floyd 's neck .
Stackhouse went to say that Floyd 's death was different , noting the worldwide support that 's followed .
`` It was George Floyd — Perry Jr. what they called him — who sparked the fuse that 's going to change this nation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's private ceremony , thousands queued up to attend the open casket viewing .
Both locals and supporters of protests ignited by Floyd 's killing came to pay their respects .
`` I feel like that could have been me lying there and I 've been in situations where it could have easily escalated , '' said Henry Davis , who attended the viewing .
Saturday 's memorial follows a similar one this past week in Minneapolis .
His funeral is planned for Tuesday in Houston , where Floyd spent most of his @ @

George Floyd Remembered In His Home State Of North Carolina
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Bazemore/AP John Bazemore/AP
In a service punctuated throughout by moments of ecstatic worship and praise, the family of George Floyd gathered in Raeford, N.C., to honor the life of the man who was killed by Minneapolis police nearly two weeks ago.
Floyd's family arrived dressed in white for the private memorial service at Cape Fear Conference B Headquarters of the United American Free Will Baptist Denomination near Fayetteville, N.C., Floyd's birthplace, on Saturday afternoon. Mourners were led in invocations, prayer and music. Floyd's uncle, Isaac Floyd, sang. Ruby Floyd, another family member, told the crowd, "God is on our side."
Several public officials also joined the family, including members of the state's congressional delegation, Democrat G.K. Butterfield and Republican Richard Hudson. A spokesman for North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper presented the family with a flag that had flown at the state Capitol.
"In his living and in his dying, he has pleased God. He has woke all of us up," the spokesman, Jeremy Collins, said.
Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin, who also spoke, had a message for fellow law enforcement officers: "It don't mean nothing if you can't say these six words: We are part of the problem."
In a stirring eulogy, the Rev. Dr. Christopher D. Stackhouse referred to Floyd as a gentle giant who enjoyed mayonnaise and banana sandwiches. He invoked Floyd's name several times throughout, telling the audience of the despair in seeing another black person die at the hands of police.
"Although it took 8 minutes and 46 seconds for him to die, it took 401 years to put the system in place for nothing to happen," said Stackhouse, mentioning the amount of time then-police officer Derek Chauvin was seen kneeling on Floyd's neck.
Stackhouse went to say that Floyd's death was different, noting the worldwide support that's followed.
"It was George Floyd — Perry Jr. what they called him — who sparked the fuse that's going to change this nation," Stackhouse said.
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Bazemore/AP John Bazemore/AP
Ahead of Saturday's private ceremony, thousands queued up to attend the open casket viewing. Both locals and supporters of protests ignited by Floyd's killing came to pay their respects.
"I feel like that could have been me lying there and I've been in situations where it could have easily escalated," said Henry Davis, who attended the viewing.
Saturday's memorial follows a similar one this past week in Minneapolis. His funeral is planned for Tuesday in Houston, where Floyd spent most of his life.
WUNC's Liz Schlemmer contributed to this report.


npr--2020-06-07--Cory Booker Wants To End Qualified Immunity For Police Officers

Cory Booker Wants To End Qualified Immunity For Police Officers As protests against police violence continue throughout the country , Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate are working on sweeping new federal legislation to combat police misconduct .
The bill , called the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 , includes an array of measures intended to increase police accountability , data collection and training .
Co-sponsored by Sen. Cory Booker , D-N.J. , the bill would ban the use of chokeholds , `` no knock '' warrants and religious and racial profiling .
`` These are common sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a far greater level of accountability for those police officers who violate the law , who violate our rights and who violate our common community standards , '' Booker told NPR 's Sarah McCammon on All Things Considered Sunday .
If enacted , it would also change the way police are held accountable in courts by eliminating qualified immunity , which shields public officials like police officers from being sued for actions that do n't violate a clearly established statutory or constitutional right .
In 2014 , the Supreme Court heard two cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unanimous decisions upholding the legal doctrine .
`` Qualified immunity is something that has evolved over time .
It 's not written into any law , '' Booker said .
`` But our highest courts in the land have decided that police officers are immune from civil cases , unless there 's been specifically in the past a case of generally the exact circumstances that has led towards a successful action .
...
It creates this bar towards civil action against a police officer for violating your civil rights . ''
Opponents to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protection from unnecessary lawsuits .
But Booker says he thinks there should still be an option to allow citizens to open civil action against officers .
`` I 'm a big believer that police officers and towns and communities that employ them should protect them from frivolous lawsuits , '' Booker said .
`` But when it 's so clear that an officer has violated community standards , department standards and the civil rights of Americans , that they should be open to civil action . ''
The measure comes just days after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked the Congressional Black Caucus to draft legislation in response to the weeks-long protests that have erupted across the nation following the death of George Floyd .
`` It is time for us to address the concerns that were being expressed by the protesters , '' Pelosi said Tuesday .
`` This is not a single incident .
We know this is a pattern of behavior and we also know the history that brings us to this sad place . ''
Robert Baldwin III and Tinbete Ermyas produced and edited this story for @ @

Cory Booker Wants To End Qualified Immunity For Police Officers
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Bloomberg via Getty Images Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Bloomberg via Getty Images
As protests against police violence continue throughout the country, Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate are working on sweeping new federal legislation to combat police misconduct.
The bill, called the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, includes an array of measures intended to increase police accountability, data collection and training. Co-sponsored by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., the bill would ban the use of chokeholds, "no knock" warrants and religious and racial profiling.
"These are common sense changes that, frankly, will create a far greater level of accountability for those police officers who violate the law, who violate our rights and who violate our common community standards," Booker told NPR's Sarah McCammon on All Things Considered Sunday.
If enacted, it would also change the way police are held accountable in courts by eliminating qualified immunity, which shields public officials like police officers from being sued for actions that don't violate a clearly established statutory or constitutional right. In 2014, the Supreme Court heard two cases on qualified immunity and handed down two unanimous decisions upholding the legal doctrine.
"Qualified immunity is something that has evolved over time. It's not written into any law," Booker said. "But our highest courts in the land have decided that police officers are immune from civil cases, unless there's been specifically in the past a case of generally the exact circumstances that has led towards a successful action. ... It creates this bar towards civil action against a police officer for violating your civil rights."
Opponents to eliminating qualified immunity argue that police need protection from unnecessary lawsuits. But Booker says he thinks there should still be an option to allow citizens to open civil action against officers.
"I'm a big believer that police officers and towns and communities that employ them should protect them from frivolous lawsuits," Booker said. "But when it's so clear that an officer has violated community standards, department standards and the civil rights of Americans, that they should be open to civil action."
The measure comes just days after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., asked the Congressional Black Caucus to draft legislation in response to the weeks-long protests that have erupted across the nation following the death of George Floyd.
"It is time for us to address the concerns that were being expressed by the protesters," Pelosi said Tuesday. "This is not a single incident. We know this is a pattern of behavior and we also know the history that brings us to this sad place."
Robert Baldwin III and Tinbete Ermyas produced and edited this story for radio.


npr--2020-06-07--De Blasio Promises Cuts To NYPD, Ends NYC Curfew

Mayor Bill De Blasio announced on Sunday that New York City would end its curfew .
The curfew was initially imposed last week as mass protests grew against police brutality sparked by the police killing of George Floyd .
The call to end the curfew comes a day earlier than previously planned .
De Blasio noted that most protesters had been peaceful , and admitted that the NYPD had sometimes overstepped its duty in policing the protests .
At least two officers have been suspended because of violent misconduct toward protesters in the city .
`` I made clear throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to use a restrained approach .
I know there are deep concerns about specific situations and I respect that , '' de Blasio said .
`` But in this city , the NYPD did not use many of the approaches used in many cities . ''
De Blasio also said on Sunday that he would shift funds from the NYPD into youth and social services .
`` I want people to understand that we are committed to shifting resources to ensure that the focus is on our young people .
...
While doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way that we are certain continues to ensure that this city will be safe . ''
The specifics of how much funding will be reallocated were not revealed , with de Blasio saying specifics will be released in the coming weeks .
Currently the NYPD accounts for around $ 6 billion of the city 's $ 90 billion budget , which faces a July 1 deadline .
The mayor also reiterated support for reform of a state law to provide for more transparency in the police force , and announced that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vendor laws and regulations .
`` There 's other types of enforcement that may not work in today 's society where we need to make bigger , real change ... one that we can announce today is in the area of street vendor enforcement . ''
The final reform mentioned was an arrangement for the city to hire `` community ambassadors '' as liasons to the NYPD .
De Blasio said they would have `` the ability to bring their concerns to the highest levels of the NYPD ... to make sure there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities and the NYPD . ''

De Blasio Promises Cuts To NYPD, Ends NYC Curfew
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images
Mayor Bill De Blasio announced on Sunday that New York City would end its curfew. The curfew was initially imposed last week as mass protests grew against police brutality sparked by the police killing of George Floyd.
The call to end the curfew comes a day earlier than previously planned. De Blasio noted that most protesters had been peaceful, and admitted that the NYPD had sometimes overstepped its duty in policing the protests. At least two officers have been suspended because of violent misconduct toward protesters in the city.
"I made clear throughout the week that the NYPD was going to use a restrained approach. I know there are deep concerns about specific situations and I respect that," de Blasio said. "But in this city, the NYPD did not use many of the approaches used in many cities."
De Blasio also said on Sunday that he would shift funds from the NYPD into youth and social services.
"I want people to understand that we are committed to shifting resources to ensure that the focus is on our young people. ... While doing that we will only do it in a way that we are certain continues to ensure that this city will be safe."
The specifics of how much funding will be reallocated were not revealed, with de Blasio saying specifics will be released in the coming weeks. Currently the NYPD accounts for around $6 billion of the city's $90 billion budget, which faces a July 1 deadline.
The mayor also reiterated support for reform of a state law to provide for more transparency in the police force, and announced that the NYPD would no longer be enforcing street vendor laws and regulations.
"There's other types of enforcement that may not work in today's society where we need to make bigger, real change ... one that we can announce today is in the area of street vendor enforcement."
The final reform mentioned was an arrangement for the city to hire "community ambassadors" as liasons to the NYPD. De Blasio said they would have "the ability to bring their concerns to the highest levels of the NYPD ... to make sure there's a truer, deep connection between communities and the NYPD."


npr--2020-06-07--Crowd Cries 'Shame' After Minneapolis Mayor Answers 'No' To Defunding Police

Crowd Cries 'Shame ' After Minneapolis Mayor Answers 'No ' To Defunding Police An uproar of boos and chants of `` shame ! ''
and `` go home , Jacob '' followed Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey after he told a crowd of protesters he did n't support defunding the city 's police .
The scene , which was widely shared online , occurred during a march Saturday , calling for the city to defund the police department in the wake of the killing of George Floyd .
Frey went to address the crowd , who had stopped near his home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he supported defunding the police department .
In videos of the encounter , Frey is heard discussing systemic racism and reigning in police unions .
He is soon overwhelmed by a chant of `` yes or no . ''
The speaker then matter-of-factly states to the mayor , `` Jacob Frey , we have a yes or no question for you . ''
Frey 's answer gets drowned out in most videos of the exchange .
Though Minnesota Public Radio reported Frey answered in the negative .
`` I am absolutely for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in how the police department functions , I 'll say it again .
And as for abolishing the entire police department — no , I 'm not , and I 'll be honest about that , too , '' Frey said .
The throng then breaks out in cries of `` go home , Jacob .
Go home . ''
Protesters can also be heard shouting `` shame '' as Frey is seen cutting through the crowd .
Calls to defund and dismantle police departments have gained traction since Floyd 's death at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of the Minneapolis City Council have recently taken up the charge , among them Lisa Bender and Jeremiah Ellison .
`` And when we 're done , we 're not simply gon na glue it back together .
We are going to dramatically rethink how we approach public safety and emergency response .
It 's really past due , '' Ellison said in a tweet last week .
Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar has also join calls to dismantle the Minneapolis police department .
On Saturday , Omar told protesters that reforms to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police killings of black men and women .
`` We 've all seen what happens when good people of good conscience say , 'Let 's invest in diversity training , ' `` said Omar .
`` Let 's try to explain our humanity and make them see us as dignified people .
Maybe that will stop them from killing us . ''
Frey , a former civil rights attorney , was elected the city 's mayor in 2017 , following an election where police reform proved a central issue .
On Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chokeholds and implement several other changes to police procedures .
The reforms came after the state opened a civil rights investigation into the city 's police department .

Minneapolis City Council Members Announce Intent To 'Dismantle' Police Department
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jerry Holt/Star Tribune via Getty Images Jerry Holt/Star Tribune via Getty Images
Updated at 12:09 a.m. ET Monday
Nine members of the Minneapolis City Council pledged their support for "dismantling" the city's police department, representing a veto-proof majority of the 13 council members.
The council members announced their position Sunday from the stage at a rally organized by black activists in response to the May 25 killing of George Floyd while in police custody.
"We will be taking intermediate steps toward ending the MPD through the budget process and other policy and budget decisions over the coming weeks and months," council member Andrea Jenkins and council president Lisa Bender told the crowd at Powderhorn Park.
The lawmakers said there are still many details to be worked out about what a Minneapolis without police might look like.
A day earlier, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was roundly booed after he told a crowd of protesters he didn't support dismantling the city's police department.
That scene with the mayor, which was widely shared online, occurred during a march calling for the city to defund the police department.
Frey went to address the crowd, which had stopped near his home, and was asked by a speaker if he supported defunding the police department. In videos of the encounter, Frey is heard discussing systemic racism and reining in police unions. He is soon overwhelmed by a chant of "yes or no."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stephen Maturen/Getty Images Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
The speaker then matter-of-factly says to the mayor, "Jacob Frey, we have a yes or no question for you."
Frey's answer gets drowned out in most videos of the exchange, though Minnesota Public Radio reported Frey answered in the negative.
"I am absolutely for a massive shift, a structural shift in how the police department functions, I'll say it again. And as for abolishing the entire police department — no, I'm not, and I'll be honest about that, too," Frey said.
The throng then breaks out in cries of "go home, Jacob, go home." Protesters can also be heard shouting "shame" as Frey is seen cutting through the crowd.
Calls to defund and dismantle police departments have gained traction since Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police. Several members of the Minneapolis City Council have recently taken up the campaign, among them Lisa Bender and Jeremiah Ellison.
"And when we're done, we're not simply gonna glue it back together. We are going to dramatically rethink how we approach public safety and emergency response. It's really past due," Ellison said in a tweet last week.
Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar has also joined calls to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department. On Saturday, Omar told protesters that reforms to police departments have repeatedly failed to stop police killings of black men and women.
"We've all seen what happens when good people of good conscience say, 'Let's invest in diversity training,' " said Omar. "Let's try to explain our humanity and make them see us as dignified people. Maybe that will stop them from killing us."
Frey, a former civil rights attorney, was elected the city's mayor in 2017 following an election where police reform proved a central issue.
On Friday, Frey signed a council-approved agreement to ban chokeholds and implement several other changes to police procedures. The reforms came after the state opened a civil rights investigation into the city's police department.


npr--2020-06-07--U.S. Airlines Add Flights As Demand Increases, But Recovery Will Take Years

U.S. Airlines Add Flights As Demand Increases , But Recovery Will Take Years U.S. airlines are boosting their flight schedules in preparation for the summer after experiencing an increase in customer demand , but returning to 2019 travel numbers will take years , according to an airline executive .
The coronavirus pandemic has completely disrupted the industry , with near empty flights and parked aircraft the most visible signs of trouble .
However , the push to reopen the country has provided U.S. carriers with a glimmer of hope .
American Airlines on Thursday announced that it will increase the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The airline said it is planning to fly more than 55 % of its July 2019 domestic schedule next month after average daily passenger numbers increased from about 32,000 in April to more than 110,000 in late May .
Vasu Raja , American 's senior vice president of network strategy , told NPR that the decision to add more flights in July was driven by three factors — pent-up demand , reopening of states and positive customer feedback .
`` If customers simply have options to go on travel , and if states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are at , it seems pretty reasonable that more demand will come back , '' Raja said .
`` If indeed it does n't come back , our ability to go and reduce flying is a lot easier than it is to go and add it . ''
The airline said next month 's capacity will represent about 40 % of its July 2019 capacity .
That 's up from 30 % this month .
Other U.S. carries are also adding flights .
United Airlines will reinstate flights at over 150 of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the company said in an email to NPR .
The flights will boost the airline 's domestic capacity to 30 % year over year .
This month , the airline expects to operate at 23 % of its June 2019 capacity .
Low-cost carrier Frontier is adding 18 new routes to its summer schedule .
Bucking the trend is Atlanta-based Delta , which announced on Friday that it will suspend operations to 11 U.S. markets beginning July 8 .
Despite the modest increases in flights and capacity , the airline industry faces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the week ending May 31 , domestic flights averaged 54 passengers , a drop from typical ranges of between 80 and 100 passengers in January and February , but more than lows of just 17 passengers in late March and early April .
Demand for future air travel is also down 82 % , according to data collected by industry association Flights for America .
And air travel demand is expected to remain below 2019 levels until 2023 , credit ratings agency S & P Global Ratings said in a recent report .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Raja told NPR .
`` We hope for it to be done faster .
We do anticipate , for example , leisure demand to return sooner than business demand , and short-haul demand return sooner than long-haul demand .
So there will be pockets where the demand recovery is certainly quite a lot faster than 2023 , but in order to regain the 2019 levels of traffic , we are a number of years off . ''
American Airlines reported a first-quarter net loss of $ 2.2 billion .
In April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in financial assistance through the government 's Payroll Support Program and said it expects to apply for a separate $ 4.75 billion loan from the U.S. Treasury Department .
It is unclear whether the airline has already applied for the additional federal funds .
No matter how fast the industry will recover from the impact of the pandemic , changes are already afloat at many U.S. airlines .
American has already implemented several cost-saving measures , from accelerating the retirement of certain aircraft types to suspending nonessential hiring to implementing voluntary leave or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also announce a 30 % reduction of its executive staff , Raja said .
`` [ American ] is absolutely going to be smaller , '' he said .
`` The airline is already making real decisions now that will change the airline forever .
They are not going to be easy , but over the long haul , the idea behind it is to create an airline that 's capable of persevering through this crisis . ''

U.S. Airlines Add Flights As Demand Increases, But Recovery Will Take Years
Enlarge this image toggle caption Joe Raedle/Getty Images Joe Raedle/Getty Images
U.S. airlines are boosting their flight schedules in preparation for the summer after experiencing an increase in customer demand, but returning to 2019 travel numbers will take years, according to an airline executive.
The coronavirus pandemic has completely disrupted the industry, with near empty flights and parked aircraft the most visible signs of trouble. However, the push to reopen the country has provided U.S. carriers with a glimmer of hope.
American Airlines on Thursday announced that it will increase the number of domestic flights next month. The airline said it is planning to fly more than 55% of its July 2019 domestic schedule next month after average daily passenger numbers increased from about 32,000 in April to more than 110,000 in late May.
Vasu Raja, American's senior vice president of network strategy, told NPR that the decision to add more flights in July was driven by three factors — pent-up demand, reopening of states and positive customer feedback.
"If customers simply have options to go on travel, and if states continue to reopen on the course that they are at, it seems pretty reasonable that more demand will come back," Raja said. "If indeed it doesn't come back, our ability to go and reduce flying is a lot easier than it is to go and add it."
The airline said next month's capacity will represent about 40% of its July 2019 capacity. That's up from 30% this month. Other U.S. carries are also adding flights.
United Airlines will reinstate flights at over 150 of its U.S and Canadian destinations next month, the company said in an email to NPR. The flights will boost the airline's domestic capacity to 30% year over year. This month, the airline expects to operate at 23% of its June 2019 capacity. Low-cost carrier Frontier is adding 18 new routes to its summer schedule.
Bucking the trend is Atlanta-based Delta, which announced on Friday that it will suspend operations to 11 U.S. markets beginning July 8.
Despite the modest increases in flights and capacity, the airline industry faces a long road to recovery. In the week ending May 31, domestic flights averaged 54 passengers, a drop from typical ranges of between 80 and 100 passengers in January and February, but more than lows of just 17 passengers in late March and early April. Demand for future air travel is also down 82%, according to data collected by industry association Flights for America.
And air travel demand is expected to remain below 2019 levels until 2023, credit ratings agency S&P Global Ratings said in a recent report.
"That's an entirely realistic expectation," Raja told NPR. "We hope for it to be done faster. We do anticipate, for example, leisure demand to return sooner than business demand, and short-haul demand return sooner than long-haul demand. So there will be pockets where the demand recovery is certainly quite a lot faster than 2023, but in order to regain the 2019 levels of traffic, we are a number of years off."
American Airlines reported a first-quarter net loss of $2.2 billion. In April, the airline received $5.8 billion in financial assistance through the government's Payroll Support Program and said it expects to apply for a separate $4.75 billion loan from the U.S. Treasury Department. It is unclear whether the airline has already applied for the additional federal funds.
No matter how fast the industry will recover from the impact of the pandemic, changes are already afloat at many U.S. airlines.
American has already implemented several cost-saving measures, from accelerating the retirement of certain aircraft types to suspending nonessential hiring to implementing voluntary leave or early retirement programs. The airline will also announce a 30% reduction of its executive staff, Raja said.
"[American] is absolutely going to be smaller," he said. "The airline is already making real decisions now that will change the airline forever. They are not going to be easy, but over the long haul, the idea behind it is to create an airline that's capable of persevering through this crisis."


npr--2020-06-07--Tropical Storm Cristobal Hits Louisiana, Mississippi Coasts

Tropical Storm Cristobal has reached the southeastern United States , bringing heavy rains and sustained winds of up to 50 mph .
Storm surge warnings have been issued for the southeast coast of Louisiana as well as the Mississippi coast for Sunday .
Cristobal is the third named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season .
If the storm maintains its current track , Mississippi could be the state hardest hit , according to Gavin Phillips , a forecaster with the National Weather Service New Orleans .
`` The biggest populated area that 's going to be most affected is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Orleans and the areas to its immediate east should see the most rainfall , according to Phillips .
Those areas should expect 7 to 10 inches of rain , he said .
Areas to the west should only expect a few inches of rain , said Phillips , adding that he expects the city of New Orleans to remain safe .
On the Mississippi coast , reporters at the Biloxi Sun Herald have documented high water levels this morning and afternoon .
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and some communities in Mississippi and Louisiana have been ordered to evacuate .
In Louisiana , the barrier island of Grand Isle has seen major flooding due to Cristobal .
Residents there have been urged to evacuate .
In New Orleans , crews have been responding to downed trees and power lines .
Officials there are urging people who live outside of the levee flood protection system to evacuate the area .
Phillips said that as the storm moves inland , bayous and areas without levies will be the most vulnerable to flooding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he does n't foresee any `` life-threatening '' flood events happening as a result of Cristobal .
Phillips said that winds will likely top out at around 50 miles per hour , with the strongest likely to come around the Mississippi coast .
He also noted that early June is an unlikely time for a tropical storm , with the peak season for tropical storms and hurricanes usually starting much later in the year .
`` This is really early to get a storm .
But typically July is quieter than June .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ now and [ mid-August ] . ''

Tropical Storm Cristobal Hits Louisiana, Mississippi Coasts
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sean Gardner/Getty Images Sean Gardner/Getty Images
Tropical Storm Cristobal has reached the southeastern United States, bringing heavy rains and sustained winds of up to 50 mph.
Storm surge warnings have been issued for the southeast coast of Louisiana as well as the Mississippi coast for Sunday.
Cristobal is the third named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. If the storm maintains its current track, Mississippi could be the state hardest hit, according to Gavin Phillips, a forecaster with the National Weather Service New Orleans.
"The biggest populated area that's going to be most affected is the Mississippi coast," Phillips said.
New Orleans and the areas to its immediate east should see the most rainfall, according to Phillips. Those areas should expect 7 to 10 inches of rain, he said. Areas to the west should only expect a few inches of rain, said Phillips, adding that he expects the city of New Orleans to remain safe.
On the Mississippi coast, reporters at the Biloxi Sun Herald have documented high water levels this morning and afternoon.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency on Friday ahead of the tropical storm and some communities in Mississippi and Louisiana have been ordered to evacuate.
In Louisiana, the barrier island of Grand Isle has seen major flooding due to Cristobal. Residents there have been urged to evacuate.
In New Orleans, crews have been responding to downed trees and power lines. Officials there are urging people who live outside of the levee flood protection system to evacuate the area.
Phillips said that as the storm moves inland, bayous and areas without levies will be the most vulnerable to flooding. He was quick to clarify that he doesn't foresee any "life-threatening" flood events happening as a result of Cristobal.
Phillips said that winds will likely top out at around 50 miles per hour, with the strongest likely to come around the Mississippi coast.
He also noted that early June is an unlikely time for a tropical storm, with the peak season for tropical storms and hurricanes usually starting much later in the year.
"This is really early to get a storm. But typically July is quieter than June. Hopefully we don't have anything between now and [mid-August]."
NPR's Debbie Elliot contributed to this report.


npr--2020-06-07--Trump Orders National Guard To Pull Out Of Washington

Trump Orders National Guard To Pull Out Of Washington President Trump on Sunday ordered National Guard troops to start withdrawing from Washington , where the protests over the killing of George Floyd have been peaceful in recent days .
In a telephone briefing with reporters , Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said guardsmen from 11 states , who came to assist the D.C. National Guard , will be returning home over the next two or three days .
Altogether , the National Guard force from D.C. and the states totaled more than 5,000 this past week , though only about one-third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , he said .
The D.C. National Guard will , if needed , continue to support Washington police and federal law enforcement in the city , he added .
In addition , McCarthy expressed relief that active duty troops , who were brought to bases in Virginia and Maryland , just outside Washington , were not needed .
`` We came right up to the edge of bringing active duty troops here , and we did n't , '' he said .
Those troops were sent back to their home bases over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week he might call on active duty forces to put down unrest in cities across the country .
But he appears to have pulled back from that position as the violence has subsided .
On May 31 , the worst day of unrest and looting in Washington , five guardsmen were injured , including one who suffered a severe concussion when he was hit by a brick in the head , McCarthy said .
The possibility of using active duty forces was `` heavily discussed '' at this point because it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be called in quickly enough .
`` We did n't know if we could put enough support into this city quickly by marshaling National Guardsmen from surrounding areas , '' he said .
But he said the military was very reluctant to use active duty forces .
`` They were on the outskirts ( of Washington ) because we did n't want to do it , '' McCarthy said .
`` The Department of Defense did n't want to do it because we knew that once you went to that escalation , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ de-escalate .
McCarthy also confirmed that he authorized the use of a medevac helicopter to `` observe and report '' on the demonstrations .
However , he said tactical decisions were left to the National Guard .
Protesters have complained a medevac helicopter hovered over them Monday at a low altitude , creating a strong rotor wash that snapped tree branches and led demonstrators to flee for their safety .
McCarthy said that incident is under investigation .
In recent days , the protests have been peaceful .
McCarthy estimated that more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that lasted from noon to midnight .
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said no arrests were made .

Trump Orders National Guard To Pull Out Of Washington
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
President Trump on Sunday ordered National Guard troops to start withdrawing from Washington, where the protests over the killing of George Floyd have been peaceful in recent days.
In a telephone briefing with reporters, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said guardsmen from 11 states, who came to assist the D.C. National Guard, will be returning home over the next two or three days.
Altogether, the National Guard force from D.C. and the states totaled more than 5,000 this past week, though only about one-third were on the streets at any given time, he said.
The D.C. National Guard will, if needed, continue to support Washington police and federal law enforcement in the city, he added.
In addition, McCarthy expressed relief that active duty troops, who were brought to bases in Virginia and Maryland, just outside Washington, were not needed.
"We came right up to the edge of bringing active duty troops here, and we didn't," he said. Those troops were sent back to their home bases over the past few days.
Trump said last week he might call on active duty forces to put down unrest in cities across the country. But he appears to have pulled back from that position as the violence has subsided.
On May 31, the worst day of unrest and looting in Washington, five guardsmen were injured, including one who suffered a severe concussion when he was hit by a brick in the head, McCarthy said.
The possibility of using active duty forces was "heavily discussed" at this point because it was not clear if National Guard troops could be called in quickly enough.
"We didn't know if we could put enough support into this city quickly by marshaling National Guardsmen from surrounding areas," he said.
But he said the military was very reluctant to use active duty forces.
"They were on the outskirts (of Washington) because we didn't want to do it," McCarthy said. "The Department of Defense didn't want to do it because we knew that once you went to that escalation, it's very, very difficult" to de-escalate.
McCarthy also confirmed that he authorized the use of a medevac helicopter to "observe and report" on the demonstrations. However, he said tactical decisions were left to the National Guard.
Protesters have complained a medevac helicopter hovered over them Monday at a low altitude, creating a strong rotor wash that snapped tree branches and led demonstrators to flee for their safety. McCarthy said that incident is under investigation.
In recent days, the protests have been peaceful. McCarthy estimated that more than 45,000 people took part in demonstrations Saturday that lasted from noon to midnight. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said no arrests were made.


npr--2020-06-07--Global COVID-19 Deaths Surpass 400,000

Global COVID-19 Deaths Surpass 400,000

The COVID-19 pandemic has now claimed more than 400,000 lives worldwide , according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University .
The university 's Coronavirus Resource Center noted the grim milestone on Sunday .
The United States — at more than 109,000 — accounts for more than a quarter of those deaths .
Worldwide , more than 6.9 million people have been infected with the coronavirus since the first known cases began to emerge in the Chinese province of Hubei late last year .
Experts at Johns Hopkins say infections are expected to surpass 7 million by mid-week .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , but in cities across the country , demonstrators have set aside fears over the coronavirus in recent days to rally by the thousands against police brutality in mass protests ignited by the death of George Floyd .
Public health experts have cautioned that a spike of new cases could follow the demonstrations .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , , the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , told a Washington , D.C. radio station on Friday that the protests are a `` perfect set-up for further spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very concerned , as do my colleagues in public health , when they see these kinds of crowds , '' Fauci told WTOP .
`` There certainly is a risk .
I can say that with confidence . ''
As demonstrations continue , many states are moving forward with enacting re-opening plans to revitalize their economies , easing restrictions put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus and allowing more businesses to open their doors or expand operations .
Revelers in Las Vegas were able to return to the city 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the first weekend since Nevada shut them down in March .
Though casino staff donned masks , patrons were n't required to wear them , and according to an Associated Press report , many did not .
New York City , which has registered more cases than any other city in the nation , is scheduled to enter the first phase of its re-opening on Monday .
Other portions of New York state had already been allowed to ease restrictions weeks ago and some regions are even entering the second phase .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tallies of coronavirus infections and deaths , the Johns Hopkins tracker is often acknowledged to come up short .
Obstacles to testing , especially early on in the pandemic , have been cited as one reason why coronavirus figures may fail to paint a truly accurate picture .
Public officials and governments have also been accused of impeding the release of accurate statistics or even acknowledging the crisis .
In Brazil — second only to the U.S. in number of cases — accusations of a cover-up followed the removal of death and infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday .
Jair Bolsonaro , the country 's president , called the figures misleading and the ministry is now releasing only a daily count .
Bolsonaro has repeatedly clashed with public health experts during the pandemic , including his own health ministers , with one minister resigning about a month after his predecessor was fired .
According to Johns Hopkins , Brazil has seen more than 672,000 cases and nearly 36,000 deaths .
Russia has also bedeviled public health experts with a comparatively low tally of COVID-19-related deaths despite having the third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Critics have accused the country of manipulating its figure .
Officials counter those claims by touting the government 's response and the rigor in which Russian doctors certify a cause of death .

Global COVID-19 Deaths Surpass 400,000
Enlarge this image toggle caption Felipe Dana/AP Felipe Dana/AP
The COVID-19 pandemic has now claimed more than 400,000 lives worldwide, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University.
The university's Coronavirus Resource Center noted the grim milestone on Sunday. The United States — at more than 109,000 — accounts for more than a quarter of those deaths.
Worldwide, more than 6.9 million people have been infected with the coronavirus since the first known cases began to emerge in the Chinese province of Hubei late last year. Experts at Johns Hopkins say infections are expected to surpass 7 million by mid-week.
The U.S. has seen more than 1.9 million cases, but in cities across the country, demonstrators have set aside fears over the coronavirus in recent days to rally by the thousands against police brutality in mass protests ignited by the death of George Floyd. Public health experts have cautioned that a spike of new cases could follow the demonstrations.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, , the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told a Washington, D.C. radio station on Friday that the protests are a "perfect set-up for further spread of the virus."
"I get very concerned, as do my colleagues in public health, when they see these kinds of crowds," Fauci told WTOP. "There certainly is a risk. I can say that with confidence."
As demonstrations continue, many states are moving forward with enacting re-opening plans to revitalize their economies, easing restrictions put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus and allowing more businesses to open their doors or expand operations.
Revelers in Las Vegas were able to return to the city's iconic casinos on Thursday as they re-opened for the first weekend since Nevada shut them down in March. Though casino staff donned masks, patrons weren't required to wear them, and according to an Associated Press report, many did not.
New York City, which has registered more cases than any other city in the nation, is scheduled to enter the first phase of its re-opening on Monday. Other portions of New York state had already been allowed to ease restrictions weeks ago and some regions are even entering the second phase.
Though considered one of the more comprehensive tallies of coronavirus infections and deaths, the Johns Hopkins tracker is often acknowledged to come up short.
Obstacles to testing, especially early on in the pandemic, have been cited as one reason why coronavirus figures may fail to paint a truly accurate picture. Public officials and governments have also been accused of impeding the release of accurate statistics or even acknowledging the crisis.
In Brazil — second only to the U.S. in number of cases — accusations of a cover-up followed the removal of death and infection totals from the health ministry's website on Saturday. Jair Bolsonaro, the country's president, called the figures misleading and the ministry is now releasing only a daily count.
Bolsonaro has repeatedly clashed with public health experts during the pandemic, including his own health ministers, with one minister resigning about a month after his predecessor was fired. According to Johns Hopkins, Brazil has seen more than 672,000 cases and nearly 36,000 deaths.
Russia has also bedeviled public health experts with a comparatively low tally of COVID-19-related deaths despite having the third highest number of cases in the world. Critics have accused the country of manipulating its figure. Officials counter those claims by touting the government's response and the rigor in which Russian doctors certify a cause of death.