democracynow--2020-06-04--Tamika Mallory: Nationwide Uprising Against State Violence Shows People Have Reached Breaking Point

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Nermeen Shaikh .
As the Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison files charges against all four Minneapolis police officers involved in last week ’ s killing of African American George Floyd , a mass uprising against police brutality continues in the streets , from Minneapolis to Louisville to Houston to Los Angeles .
We go now to activist Tamika Mallory to discuss the latest developments , the police killing , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more .
Tamika Mallory is the former national co-chair of the 2017 Women ’ s March in Washington , D.C. , also co-founder of the social justice organization Until Freedom .
She ’ s joining us from New York City , after participating in the protests in Houston , Louisville and Minneapolis , where she gave a major speech that went viral .
This is a part of it .
AMY GOODMAN : Well , Tamika Mallory joins us now from New York , soon headed to the memorial for George Floyd .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Tamika .
Talk about the latest development , the charges brought against all four officers , and their significance .
TAMIKA MALLORY : Good morning .
Good morning .
Thank you so much for having me .
So , as Nekima , my colleague , has said , we are definitely glad that there have been charges against all four officers and , of course , that the charges against Chauvin have been increased .
However , we know that we can not rely on charges as the end of our fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay engaged in this movement and continue to push for convictions , because too often we see these things happen where everyone is excited that someone has been charged , when we get an officer charged , and then , in the end , it falls apart once it makes it into the courtroom , into a system that is not designed to hold police officers responsible for the abuse against poor , Black and Brown people .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : Well , Tamika , I mean , several people have pointed out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the protests about previous Black African Americans killed by the police , from Trayvon Martin to Eric Garner .
First of all , these protests spread very rapidly across the U.S. , but also across the world , from New Zealand to Brazil to France , and also with much greater intensity .
And many observers and protesters themselves have said they have never witnessed such an outpouring of grief and anger on such a mass scale .
Now , do you think that the intensity and the range of these protests , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in substantive change ?
You ’ ve said that we can ’ t rely any longer on just charges against police officers , but also prosecutions .
Do you think it ’ s likely that the scale of these protests , unlike the protests that have preceded them , may actually make that possible ?
TAMIKA MALLORY : Well , I mean , certainly , you are right .
The protests that we ’ re seeing today and the ways in which people are engaged and sustaining for so many days is very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar around Trayvon Martin ’ s death when George Zimmerman was found not guilty .
We saw real energy across the country , where the Black Lives Matter movement was sparked .
But , of course , in this particular moment , it is intensified .
And I think that from Trayvon Martin , and even cases before that , leading up to today , all of it comes together , and you see that energy .
But particularly in the last month , month and a half , we know that people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not two , but three different incidents , where I know for sure I ’ ve personally been traumatized .
Ahmaud Arbery — people watched a video where it was clear that that young man was hunted , and he was hunted by two different cars , in which they boxed him in , and he was shot with a shotgun on the streets just for jogging .
Then we see Breonna Taylor .
Breonna Taylor is a young 26-year-old woman , an EMT worker , so she is a first responder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stressed and going through a lot as it relates to COVID-19 , 100,000-plus Americans who have died at the hands of an incompetent administration .
And then we come to George Floyd , in which we watch him die .
We literally watch his life leave his body .
The difference , to me , in the Eric Garner situation is that he ’ s — as he ’ s being choked , there is some movement of people around .
But in this situation , we see George Floyd literally held , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the attorney Ben Crump said , he was being tortured by someone who literally sat on his neck and was there trying to kill him , and he succeeded .
So , therefore , there ’ s a level of trauma that I believe has built up in individuals across this country .
And it ’ s no longer just a Black protest or a Black movement .
At this point , we ’ re looking at a nation and a world that has decided that what we saw happen on camera @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Ahmaud Arbery and this incident , is no longer acceptable .
And we can not continue to meet and ask and cry and beg for change .
People have taken to the streets to demand change .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : And , Tamika , I think one of the things that has exacerbated the trauma that you speak of is the extent of the militarization of the police that we see .
I mean , we ’ re all in New York City , and you can see .
I mean , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helicopters overhead , constantly police sirens all across the city , and then just the figures of these police officers , who look more like paramilitary with all this gear and equipment and so on .
Now , in New York , hundreds of staffers of Mayor Bill de Blasio have called for defunding the police , following what they ’ ve seen here , the New York Police Department ’ s response to the protests .
Can you respond to that , the question of whether the police , not just in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be defunded ?
TAMIKA MALLORY : So , I 100 % support defunding the police .
The one thing we know about America and its capitalism is that money is all that really , really , really matters .
If people were just walking in the streets in New York and across this country , and there were not folks vandalizing — which we totally don ’ t support — but to make the point , that the vandalism is what has sparked a need to try to reconcile and fix it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can do to calm things down , not the violence that occurred in the first place against George Floyd , where there should have been swift action to deal with it before people hit the streets , and then , afterwards , people began to vandalize — some people , rare instances , yet it happened .
So , the same thing applies when we ’ re talking about the police department and , again , how this system functions based in and steeped in capitalism .
If you defund a person , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an institution like the police department , you get people ’ s attention .
And I completely support that .
What I don ’ t think is that you will receive from this mayor in New York City , Mayor Bill de Blasio , an interest in it .
And even , I don ’ t even think he ’ ll give it the slightest bit of attention .
And the reason why — maybe his staffers can help , and I think it ’ s great that they were courageous enough to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on behalf of their communities .
However , this mayor has not shown us that he ’ s bold , that he is courageous and that he ’ s willing to stand up to the police department .
It took us five years to get Daniel Pantaleo fired after he choked Eric Garner to death , and in the police manual , it says that a chokehold is inappropriate , and it is in fact illegal .
But it still took us five years , plus protesters like myself , Kirsten Foy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carmen Perez , I ’ m sorry — Mysonne Linen , Linda Sarsour and so many others , to go to a presidential debate and have to actually call him out during the debate in order to make sure that he could not go around this country touting his relationships between police and community in New York that doesn ’ t really exist .
And so , you know , I ’ m not confident in this mayor , unfortunately , that he ’ s going to do that work .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , trying to begin to have conversations around the social distancing piece , with community groups to figure out other ways to deal with social distancing in communities , but I still just do not feel that he has what it takes to really stand up to Commissioner Shea and those in the NYPD , and particularly the police union .
AMY GOODMAN : Tamika Mallory , I ’ ve got two questions for you .
One is the tear-gassing of protesters , this critical issue , these two plagues of racism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact that protesters all over this country are getting gassed — tear-gassed , pepper-sprayed — and coronavirus is a respiratory disease , and it ’ s particularly affecting communities of color , who are the leaders now of these protests all over the country — what this means ?
And the other question has to do with the militarization of police all over , the buzzing by a helicopter of the protesters in Washington , all levels hiding their affiliation of security , whether you ’ re talking National Guard , Bureau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the whole battle over whether the Army is going to be involved with suppressing protests , and what you make of people like Mattis , the former defense secretary , General [ John ] Allen and others , who are now condemning Trump for what ’ s happening right now , bringing the Army into the streets .
And Esper , it ’ s not clear where he stands .
He condemns it , then he goes back .
He has a fight with Trump , and then he says he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your thoughts on both ?
TAMIKA MALLORY : So , I think the tear-gassing and the ways in which — the rubber bullets , of which I experienced in Minneapolis , and I know much about it because many of my friends and colleagues in this work experienced the same on the streets of Ferguson , where Mike Brown was shot and killed and left there for four hours laying on the ground for the entire community to see and to be traumatized by .
I know that America has always been militarized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And we ’ ve been saying that .
In fact , there is a campaign called “ end the police militarization , ” that folks have been pushing to get done in Congress .
And so , we ’ ve been sounding the alarm about all of these things .
This is not new .
As it relates to what we see happening with the administration , the president of the United States ran on being a law-and-order president .
He said it .
He said it .
And that was a part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what he would do when he had the opportunity to show that he is in fact a law-and-order president .
He is also an extremely disrespectful — and his rhetoric is racist .
His rhetoric is dangerous .
And , in fact , because of his actions , people are on the streets even more angry .
I believe that this president has incited most of what we see happening today .
He does not know how , nor does he care , to bring people together .
Instead , he wants to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because I don ’ t even think he knows how to actually work on relationships between humans and bring people together , and especially not as it relates to race relations .
I am happy to see that those individuals , one who actually — he actually bought into office — that they would be courageous enough to speak out , because wrong is wrong .
And if you are a person of good moral standards , you should speak truth to power .
And so , that is what we have seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very grateful to those people who have done that .
I wish they had done it earlier , when they heard — because , as Maya Angelou said , when someone shows you who they are , believe them .
And now we know that we can actually believe who Donald Trump said he was .
And now November is coming , and I hope people are getting themselves prepared to do what ’ s necessary to take back our country .
AMY GOODMAN : Tamika Mallory , we want to thank you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former national co-chair of the 2017 Women ’ s March in Washington , co-founder of the social justice organization Until Freedom .
She talked about Breonna Taylor .
We ’ re going to go extensively more into her case .
When we come back , we ’ re going to Louisville , Kentucky , where thousands are protesting , for more than a week , in a row , seven days , demanding justice not only for George Floyd , but for two Black Louisville residents killed by police , including Breonna Taylor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her own home .
Stay with us .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I’m Amy Goodman, with Nermeen Shaikh. As the Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison files charges against all four Minneapolis police officers involved in last week’s killing of African American George Floyd, a mass uprising against police brutality continues in the streets, from Minneapolis to Louisville to Houston to Los Angeles.
We go now to activist Tamika Mallory to discuss the latest developments, the police killing, as well, of Breonna Taylor, and more. Tamika Mallory is the former national co-chair of the 2017 Women’s March in Washington, D.C., also co-founder of the social justice organization Until Freedom. She’s joining us from New York City, after participating in the protests in Houston, Louisville and Minneapolis, where she gave a major speech that went viral. This is a part of it.
TAMIKA MALLORY: Don’t talk to us about looting. Y’all are the looters. America has looted Black people. America looted the Native Americans when they first came here, so looting is what you do. We learned it from you.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, Tamika Mallory joins us now from New York, soon headed to the memorial for George Floyd.
We welcome you to Democracy Now!, Tamika. Talk about the latest development, the charges brought against all four officers, and their significance.
TAMIKA MALLORY: Good morning. Good morning. Thank you so much for having me.
So, as Nekima, my colleague, has said, we are definitely glad that there have been charges against all four officers and, of course, that the charges against Chauvin have been increased. However, we know that we cannot rely on charges as the end of our fight. We have to ensure that we stay engaged in this movement and continue to push for convictions, because too often we see these things happen where everyone is excited that someone has been charged, when we get an officer charged, and then, in the end, it falls apart once it makes it into the courtroom, into a system that is not designed to hold police officers responsible for the abuse against poor, Black and Brown people.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Well, Tamika, I mean, several people have pointed out that these protests are very different from the protests about previous Black African Americans killed by the police, from Trayvon Martin to Eric Garner. First of all, these protests spread very rapidly across the U.S., but also across the world, from New Zealand to Brazil to France, and also with much greater intensity. And many observers and protesters themselves have said they have never witnessed such an outpouring of grief and anger on such a mass scale. Now, do you think that the intensity and the range of these protests, as some say, might actually result in substantive change? You’ve said that we can’t rely any longer on just charges against police officers, but also prosecutions. Do you think it’s likely that the scale of these protests, unlike the protests that have preceded them, may actually make that possible?
TAMIKA MALLORY: Well, I mean, certainly, you are right. The protests that we’re seeing today and the ways in which people are engaged and sustaining for so many days is very strong. I think we saw something similar around Trayvon Martin’s death when George Zimmerman was found not guilty. We saw real energy across the country, where the Black Lives Matter movement was sparked. But, of course, in this particular moment, it is intensified. And I think that from Trayvon Martin, and even cases before that, leading up to today, all of it comes together, and you see that energy.
But particularly in the last month, month and a half, we know that people have literally been traumatized by not one, not two, but three different incidents, where I know for sure I’ve personally been traumatized. Ahmaud Arbery — people watched a video where it was clear that that young man was hunted, and he was hunted by two different cars, in which they boxed him in, and he was shot with a shotgun on the streets just for jogging.
Then we see Breonna Taylor. Breonna Taylor is a young 26-year-old woman, an EMT worker, so she is a first responder at a time when people are also stressed and going through a lot as it relates to COVID-19, 100,000-plus Americans who have died at the hands of an incompetent administration.
And then we come to George Floyd, in which we watch him die. We literally watch his life leave his body. The difference, to me, in the Eric Garner situation is that he’s — as he’s being choked, there is some movement of people around. But in this situation, we see George Floyd literally held, handcuffed, down, suffocating. And as the attorney Ben Crump said, he was being tortured by someone who literally sat on his neck and was there trying to kill him, and he succeeded.
So, therefore, there’s a level of trauma that I believe has built up in individuals across this country. And it’s no longer just a Black protest or a Black movement. At this point, we’re looking at a nation and a world that has decided that what we saw happen on camera, not just in one incident, but Ahmaud Arbery and this incident, is no longer acceptable. And we cannot continue to meet and ask and cry and beg for change. People have taken to the streets to demand change.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: And, Tamika, I think one of the things that has exacerbated the trauma that you speak of is the extent of the militarization of the police that we see. I mean, we’re all in New York City, and you can see. I mean, there are literally the constant sound of helicopters overhead, constantly police sirens all across the city, and then just the figures of these police officers, who look more like paramilitary with all this gear and equipment and so on. Now, in New York, hundreds of staffers of Mayor Bill de Blasio have called for defunding the police, following what they’ve seen here, the New York Police Department’s response to the protests. Can you respond to that, the question of whether the police, not just in New York but across the U.S., should be defunded?
TAMIKA MALLORY: So, I 100% support defunding the police. The one thing we know about America and its capitalism is that money is all that really, really, really matters. If people were just walking in the streets in New York and across this country, and there were not folks vandalizing — which we totally don’t support — but to make the point, that the vandalism is what has sparked a need to try to reconcile and fix it and let’s see what we can do to calm things down, not the violence that occurred in the first place against George Floyd, where there should have been swift action to deal with it before people hit the streets, and then, afterwards, people began to vandalize — some people, rare instances, yet it happened.
So, the same thing applies when we’re talking about the police department and, again, how this system functions based in and steeped in capitalism. If you defund a person, you defund a company, you defund an institution like the police department, you get people’s attention. And I completely support that.
What I don’t think is that you will receive from this mayor in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio, an interest in it. And even, I don’t even think he’ll give it the slightest bit of attention. And the reason why — maybe his staffers can help, and I think it’s great that they were courageous enough to step out there and to do something on behalf of their communities. However, this mayor has not shown us that he’s bold, that he is courageous and that he’s willing to stand up to the police department. It took us five years to get Daniel Pantaleo fired after he choked Eric Garner to death, and in the police manual, it says that a chokehold is inappropriate, and it is in fact illegal. But it still took us five years, plus protesters like myself, Kirsten Foy of Arc of Justice, Carmen — not Carmen Perez, I’m sorry — Mysonne Linen, Linda Sarsour and so many others, to go to a presidential debate and have to actually call him out during the debate in order to make sure that he could not go around this country touting his relationships between police and community in New York that doesn’t really exist.
And so, you know, I’m not confident in this mayor, unfortunately, that he’s going to do that work. I’ve seen him, as of late, trying to begin to have conversations around the social distancing piece, with community groups to figure out other ways to deal with social distancing in communities, but I still just do not feel that he has what it takes to really stand up to Commissioner Shea and those in the NYPD, and particularly the police union.
AMY GOODMAN: Tamika Mallory, I’ve got two questions for you. One is the tear-gassing of protesters, this critical issue, these two plagues of racism and police brutality and the pandemic, and the fact that protesters all over this country are getting gassed — tear-gassed, pepper-sprayed — and coronavirus is a respiratory disease, and it’s particularly affecting communities of color, who are the leaders now of these protests all over the country — what this means?
And the other question has to do with the militarization of police all over, the buzzing by a helicopter of the protesters in Washington, all levels hiding their affiliation of security, whether you’re talking National Guard, Bureau of Prisons, all together with police, and the whole battle over whether the Army is going to be involved with suppressing protests, and what you make of people like Mattis, the former defense secretary, General [John] Allen and others, who are now condemning Trump for what’s happening right now, bringing the Army into the streets. And Esper, it’s not clear where he stands. He condemns it, then he goes back. He has a fight with Trump, and then he says he supports it. Not clear. But your thoughts on both?
TAMIKA MALLORY: So, I think the tear-gassing and the ways in which — the rubber bullets, of which I experienced in Minneapolis, and I know much about it because many of my friends and colleagues in this work experienced the same on the streets of Ferguson, where Mike Brown was shot and killed and left there for four hours laying on the ground for the entire community to see and to be traumatized by. I know that America has always been militarized in terms of its police force. And we’ve been saying that. In fact, there is a campaign called “end the police militarization,” that folks have been pushing to get done in Congress. And so, we’ve been sounding the alarm about all of these things. This is not new.
As it relates to what we see happening with the administration, the president of the United States ran on being a law-and-order president. He said it. He said it. And that was a part of his platform. So we knew what he would do when he had the opportunity to show that he is in fact a law-and-order president. He is also an extremely disrespectful — and his rhetoric is racist. His rhetoric is dangerous. And, in fact, because of his actions, people are on the streets even more angry. I believe that this president has incited most of what we see happening today. He does not know how, nor does he care, to bring people together. Instead, he wants to send the military to the streets, because I don’t even think he knows how to actually work on relationships between humans and bring people together, and especially not as it relates to race relations.
I am happy to see that those individuals, one who actually — he actually bought into office — that they would be courageous enough to speak out, because wrong is wrong. And if you are a person of good moral standards, you should speak truth to power. And so, that is what we have seen happen, and I am very, very grateful to those people who have done that. I wish they had done it earlier, when they heard — because, as Maya Angelou said, when someone shows you who they are, believe them. And now we know that we can actually believe who Donald Trump said he was. And now November is coming, and I hope people are getting themselves prepared to do what’s necessary to take back our country.
AMY GOODMAN: Tamika Mallory, we want to thank you for being with us, activist and former national co-chair of the 2017 Women’s March in Washington, co-founder of the social justice organization Until Freedom. She talked about Breonna Taylor. We’re going to go extensively more into her case. When we come back, we’re going to Louisville, Kentucky, where thousands are protesting, for more than a week, in a row, seven days, demanding justice not only for George Floyd, but for two Black Louisville residents killed by police, including Breonna Taylor, the EMT police shot dead in her own home. Stay with us.


democracynow--2020-06-04--The Protests Made a Huge Difference: All Four Minneapolis Cops Charged in Killing of George Floyd

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : After more than a week of widespread protest across the country , Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed charges against all four Minneapolis police officers involved in last week ’ s killing of African American George Floyd .
A second-degree murder charge was added against white police officer Derek Chauvin , who was already charged with third-degree murder for kneeling on Floyd ’ s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds while Floyd pleaded for his life , saying repeatedly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The other three officers — Thomas Lane , Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao — have now been charged with aiding and abetting the murder .
Chauvin was arrested last week ; the other three officers are also now in custody .
AMY GOODMAN : During the news conference , Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison addressed the state ’ s historic failure to hold police accountable .
AMY GOODMAN : Well , for more , we go directly to Minneapolis , where we ’ re joined by Nekima Levy Armstrong , civil rights attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice Network , former president of the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP .
It ’ s great to have you back with us , Nekima .
Can you lay out these charges , what exactly they mean , the upgrading of the charge from third-degree murder , which remains , to second-degree murder for Chauvin , and then what it means that these three other officers were also arrested and are in custody for aiding and abetting that murder ?
NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG : Well , as you may recall , after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us in Minneapolis , and specifically attorneys , came against those charges .
We raised concerns about the fact that third-degree murder charges were setting Chauvin up for a dismissal and/or ultimately an acquittal , because third-degree charges are similar to someone firing in a crowd and randomly hitting a person and leading to their death .
So , under Minnesota law , it is not usually possible to have a conviction in a situation where a specific person is being targeted , as in the case of Chauvin putting his knee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George Floyd .
And so we believe that second-degree murder charges are much more appropriate in this situation because of the intentionality surrounding Derek Chauvin ’ s actions in snuffing out the life of George Floyd .
And the aiding and abetting charges are also appropriate for the other three former officers involved in killing George Floyd .
And that means that they would be held just as culpable as Derek Chauvin for their role in the situation .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : Well , Nekima , the attorney general , Keith Ellison , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s charged these three additional officers , he has warned — I mean , as you ’ re saying , as well — of the difficulties of actually prosecuting police officers .
In fact , one of the three whom he ’ s now charged already faced a lawsuit for allegedly assaulting an African American man , leaving him with broken teeth and with bruises .
This was Mr. Tou Thao , one of the three who was charged .
So what is your sense of what is likely to come of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the hope is that , for once , in the state of Minnesota , an officer who kills an African American person will be convicted .
That has not happened yet , partly because most of the time no one is ever charged for killing African American people .
And officers typically are not even fired in those situations .
So , the public in Minnesota — we know Minnesota is 85 % white .
And so the public typically supports officer word in a given situation .
They typically believe that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as African Americans and other people of color were constantly saying , that is not our reality .
But the flipside of everything is that , you know , we don ’ t know yet about the composition of the jury .
Given that Minnesota is 85 % white , it ’ s very likely that the majority of the jury will be white people .
Some may be misinformed .
Some may have a good perspective , a positive perspective about the police , making it difficult to actually secure a conviction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , given the worldwide attention to what happened to Mr. Floyd , my hope is that there is a paradigm shift in terms of public perception and that that translates over to how the jury [ inaudible ] — AMY GOODMAN : And , Nekima Levy Armstrong , when you talk about the composition of Minnesota , I mean , it could be that one of the first actions is to challenge the venue of this state murder case .
And if it were to go outside of the Twin Cities , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even more white .
Is that true ?
I also wanted to ask you about the significance of what Ben Crump said , the family attorney for the Floyds , saying that he thought that second officer , kneeling on the back of George Floyd , right next to Chauvin , who was kneeling on his neck , was also key in cutting off the air supply for him .
The significance of the three of them on top of this man , not just present , as well as what looked like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one who ’ s had a lawsuit against him , looking like a lookout , protecting them from bystanders pleading with the officers to get off Floyd ?
NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG : Absolutely .
So , yes , if the venue is switched to another place outside of Hennepin County , it will definitely be much more white , which I don ’ t think will be helpful to securing convictions in this particular case .
Beyond that , yes , if you look at the video , at least from what we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three officers on Mr. Floyd ’ s body contributed to his death .
They heard the man pleading , saying “ I can ’ t breathe , ” and they had a callous disregard for his life .
AMY GOODMAN : Finally , the power of the protests in upping the charges to second-degree murder against Chauvin and bringing charges against the other three ?
This certainly wasn ’ t the case last week .
NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG : Absolutely .
People in the city of Minneapolis , the Twin Cities , folks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributed to those charges finally being brought against the other three officers involved in Mr. Floyd ’ s death , as well as the increase in charges for Chauvin based on his role .
We know that those protests made a huge difference and brought worldwide attention to a significant injustice .
And now , finally , we can say that first leg of the race has been won .
And now we need to move on to the other phases , until there ’ s a conviction of all four officers involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Amy Klobuchar .
She leaked that the charges were going to be brought yesterday , the senator from Minnesota .
And I was wondering if you can talk about the significance of her calling for charges to be brought , but her history , since she is clearly a significant possibility as a vice-presidential candidate along with Joe Biden .
NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG : Well , you know , as we ’ ve said many times before , Amy Klobuchar ’ s record as a prosecutor and her failure to hold killer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next vice president of the United States .
Many of us feel that Amy Klobuchar ’ s call for charges is disingenuous , in light of the fact that she never brought charges against killer cops when she was a prosecutor .
So , right now it looks like it ’ s something she ’ s calling for to benefit herself politically , and we ’ re not going for it .
Amy Klobuchar needs to do right by the African American community and be a champion for criminal justice even when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the highest offices in the land .
AMY GOODMAN : Nekima Levy Armstrong , I want to thank you for being with us , civil rights attorney , activist , founder of the Racial Justice Network , former president of the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP , as you get ready to head off to the memorial that ’ s being held in Minneapolis for George Floyd today .
This is Democracy Now !
When we come back , Tamika Mallory is our guest .
Stay with us .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: After more than a week of widespread protest across the country, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed charges against all four Minneapolis police officers involved in last week’s killing of African American George Floyd. A second-degree murder charge was added against white police officer Derek Chauvin, who was already charged with third-degree murder for kneeling on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds while Floyd pleaded for his life, saying repeatedly, “I can’t breathe.” The other three officers — Thomas Lane, Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao — have now been charged with aiding and abetting the murder. Chauvin was arrested last week; the other three officers are also now in custody.
Keith Ellison, Minnesota’s first African American attorney general, announced the charges Wednesday.
ATTORNEY GENERAL KEITH ELLISON: Today I filed an amended complaint that charges former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin with murder in the second degree for the death of George Floyd. I believe the evidence available to us now supports the stronger charge of second-degree murder. We’ve consulted with each other, and we agree.
Second, today, arrest warrants were issued for former Minneapolis police officers J.A. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. Finally, I’d like to announce that today, Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman and I filed a complaint that charges police officer Kueng, Lane and Thao with aiding and abetting murder in the second degree, a felony offense.
AMY GOODMAN: During the news conference, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison addressed the state’s historic failure to hold police accountable.
ATTORNEY GENERAL KEITH ELLISON: Let me be honest here. I mean, our country has had — has underprosecuted these matters, in Minnesota and throughout the country. And so I think the trust is a result of historically not holding people who are public guardians accountable for their behavior in situations where we should have. So, that, I think, is the origin of the trust problem. But we can’t — we can’t control the past. All we can do is take the case that we have in front of us right now and do our good-faith best to bring justice to this situation. And we will.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, for more, we go directly to Minneapolis, where we’re joined by Nekima Levy Armstrong, civil rights attorney, activist, founder of the Racial Justice Network, former president of the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP.
It’s great to have you back with us, Nekima. Can you lay out these charges, what exactly they mean, the upgrading of the charge from third-degree murder, which remains, to second-degree murder for Chauvin, and then what it means that these three other officers were also arrested and are in custody for aiding and abetting that murder?
NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG: Well, as you may recall, after the third-degree murder charges came out, several of us in Minneapolis, and specifically attorneys, came against those charges. We raised concerns about the fact that third-degree murder charges were setting Chauvin up for a dismissal and/or ultimately an acquittal, because third-degree charges are similar to someone firing in a crowd and randomly hitting a person and leading to their death. So, under Minnesota law, it is not usually possible to have a conviction in a situation where a specific person is being targeted, as in the case of Chauvin putting his knee on the back of the neck of George Floyd.
And so we believe that second-degree murder charges are much more appropriate in this situation because of the intentionality surrounding Derek Chauvin’s actions in snuffing out the life of George Floyd. And the aiding and abetting charges are also appropriate for the other three former officers involved in killing George Floyd. And that means that they would be held just as culpable as Derek Chauvin for their role in the situation.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Well, Nekima, the attorney general, Keith Ellison, has said — even though he’s charged these three additional officers, he has warned — I mean, as you’re saying, as well — of the difficulties of actually prosecuting police officers. In fact, one of the three whom he’s now charged already faced a lawsuit for allegedly assaulting an African American man, leaving him with broken teeth and with bruises. This was Mr. Tou Thao, one of the three who was charged. So what is your sense of what is likely to come of this case?
NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG: Well, the hope is that, for once, in the state of Minnesota, an officer who kills an African American person will be convicted. That has not happened yet, partly because most of the time no one is ever charged for killing African American people. And officers typically are not even fired in those situations. So, the public in Minnesota — we know Minnesota is 85% white. And so the public typically supports officer word in a given situation. They typically believe that officers feared for their safety. And as African Americans and other people of color were constantly saying, that is not our reality.
But the flipside of everything is that, you know, we don’t know yet about the composition of the jury. Given that Minnesota is 85% white, it’s very likely that the majority of the jury will be white people. Some may be misinformed. Some may have a good perspective, a positive perspective about the police, making it difficult to actually secure a conviction. But at this moment in time, given the worldwide attention to what happened to Mr. Floyd, my hope is that there is a paradigm shift in terms of public perception and that that translates over to how the jury [inaudible] —
AMY GOODMAN: And, Nekima Levy Armstrong, when you talk about the composition of Minnesota, I mean, it could be that one of the first actions is to challenge the venue of this state murder case. And if it were to go outside of the Twin Cities, that would mean that the jury would be even more white. Is that true? I also wanted to ask you about the significance of what Ben Crump said, the family attorney for the Floyds, saying that he thought that second officer, kneeling on the back of George Floyd, right next to Chauvin, who was kneeling on his neck, was also key in cutting off the air supply for him. The significance of the three of them on top of this man, not just present, as well as what looked like the fourth officer, Thao, the one who’s had a lawsuit against him, looking like a lookout, protecting them from bystanders pleading with the officers to get off Floyd?
NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG: Absolutely. So, yes, if the venue is switched to another place outside of Hennepin County, it will definitely be much more white, which I don’t think will be helpful to securing convictions in this particular case.
Beyond that, yes, if you look at the video, at least from what we can tell, the pressure from all three officers on Mr. Floyd’s body contributed to his death. They heard the man pleading, saying “I can’t breathe,” and they had a callous disregard for his life.
AMY GOODMAN: Finally, the power of the protests in upping the charges to second-degree murder against Chauvin and bringing charges against the other three? This certainly wasn’t the case last week.
NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG: Absolutely. People in the city of Minneapolis, the Twin Cities, folks across the nation and the world all contributed to those charges finally being brought against the other three officers involved in Mr. Floyd’s death, as well as the increase in charges for Chauvin based on his role. We know that those protests made a huge difference and brought worldwide attention to a significant injustice. And now, finally, we can say that first leg of the race has been won. And now we need to move on to the other phases, until there’s a conviction of all four officers involved.
AMY GOODMAN: One last question about Amy Klobuchar. She leaked that the charges were going to be brought yesterday, the senator from Minnesota. And I was wondering if you can talk about the significance of her calling for charges to be brought, but her history, since she is clearly a significant possibility as a vice-presidential candidate along with Joe Biden.
NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG: Well, you know, as we’ve said many times before, Amy Klobuchar’s record as a prosecutor and her failure to hold killer cops accountable should disqualify her from becoming the next vice president of the United States. Many of us feel that Amy Klobuchar’s call for charges is disingenuous, in light of the fact that she never brought charges against killer cops when she was a prosecutor. So, right now it looks like it’s something she’s calling for to benefit herself politically, and we’re not going for it. Amy Klobuchar needs to do right by the African American community and be a champion for criminal justice even when she’s not being considered for one of the highest offices in the land.
AMY GOODMAN: Nekima Levy Armstrong, I want to thank you for being with us, civil rights attorney, activist, founder of the Racial Justice Network, former president of the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP, as you get ready to head off to the memorial that’s being held in Minneapolis for George Floyd today.
This is Democracy Now! When we come back, Tamika Mallory is our guest. Stay with us.


democracynow--2020-06-04--Headlines for June  4, 2020

Headlines for June  4, 2020

At the Pentagon , Defense Secretary Mark Esper broke with President Trump and said active-duty military troops should not be deployed to quell the ongoing protests .
Defense Secretary Mark Esper : “ The option to use active-duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort and only in the most urgent and dire of situations .
We are not in one of those situations now .
I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act.
” Esper said he also regretted urging governors on Monday to “ dominate the battlespace ” when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Esper ordered the removal of some 200 active-duty soldiers with the 82nd Airborne who were deployed to Washington , D.C. , but then reversed the pullout after what has been described as an angry meeting at the White House .
Meanwhile , President Trump ’ s former Pentagon chief James Mattis denounced Trump ’ s militarized handling of the protests .
Mattis wrote , “ Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people — does not even pretend to try .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort .
”

At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Mark Esper broke with President Trump and said active-duty military troops should not be deployed to quell the ongoing protests.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper: “The option to use active-duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort and only in the most urgent and dire of situations. We are not in one of those situations now. I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act.”
Esper said he also regretted urging governors on Monday to “dominate the battlespace” when dealing with protests. Early on Wednesday, Esper ordered the removal of some 200 active-duty soldiers with the 82nd Airborne who were deployed to Washington, D.C., but then reversed the pullout after what has been described as an angry meeting at the White House.
Meanwhile, President Trump’s former Pentagon chief James Mattis denounced Trump’s militarized handling of the protests. Mattis wrote, “Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people — does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort.”


democracynow--2020-06-05--Trump Threatens Protests with Troops, But Police Have Already Been Militarized — With Deadly Results

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : As we take this larger , turning from Chris ’ s story to look at the militarization of the police force , the American Civil Liberties Union and Black Lives Matter announced Thursday they ’ re suing President Trump and Attorney General William Barr for authorizing a , quote , “ unprovoked and frankly criminal attack ” on protesters , that in Lafeyette Park in Washington , D.C. , where the National Guard and officers dressed in riot gear fired tear gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peaceful protesters on Monday so Trump could have his photo taken with a Bible in front of St. John ’ s Episcopal Church .
The bishop there criticized him , said it was completely inappropriate that they should use their church , that Trump should use their church as a backdrop .
The lawsuit alleges the Trump administration violated protesters ’ constitutional rights of free speech and assembly .
For more , we ’ re going to Baltimore , Maryland , to speak with Stuart Schrader , associate director of the Program in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johns Hopkins University , author of the book Badges Without Borders : How Global Counterinsurgency Transformed American Policing .
Welcome back to Democracy Now !
Can you talk , Stuart , about this militarization of police ?
STUART SCHRADER : Yeah .
I think what we ’ re seeing right now with the protests is a convergence of what I would consider three trends .
The first is a long-term trend of police being trained to treat political protest and agitation as almost tantamount to a revolutionary situation , and therefore understanding their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the republic .
This has a long history .
I cover it in my book .
It goes back throughout the 20th century .
I think we can apply the term “ counterinsurgency ” to this , meaning that we ’ re seeing a combination of social and political power being used to control political protest , in addition to police power , even in the absence of a real insurgency or a real revolutionary situation .
This is a long-standing trend .
Another trend is what most of us would refer to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means the use of military-style body armor and helmets , military-style trucks that are heavily armored , and , of course , the scary-looking military-style weaponry .
Now , this type of material being in the hands of police increased after September 11th , 2001 .
But in the 1990s , under President Bill Clinton in 1997 , Congress approved a program to transfer a lot of surplus material from the U.S. military into the hands of police .
So this has been happening for quite a long time .
Now , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ note that we ’ re seeing this material on our screens in the context of protests .
But it ’ s also been used quite widely in what we would consider ordinary policing situations — serving warrants and other types of routine activity .
And beyond that , I think it ’ s also important to note that , of course , George Floyd was not killed by a mine-resistant truck .
George Floyd was killed by a police officer , in ordinary gear , who basically turned his body into a lethal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when we talk about the militarization of policing , we have to also ask ourselves if getting rid of it , which is , I think , on the table in a new way right now — we need to ask ourselves if getting rid of it is going to be enough .
And then the third trend that I would point to is , within the military , within the intellectuals and theorists of military strategy , there has been a turn toward urban space , turn toward cities .
The idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming decades is going to have to use its tactics in urban space , in the built environment of cities .
This is a very sophisticated and detailed theoretical discourse that military strategists have developed , and it also entails a bunch of new tactics .
And we ’ re starting to see — AMY GOODMAN : Very quickly , Stuart , before we wrap — and we just have 30 seconds — this use of tear gas , use of pepper spray , in a time of COVID , of a pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SCHRADER : Yeah , it ’ s very dangerous .
Tear gas is a misnomer .
It does not just make people cry .
It makes them cough and gag .
It ’ s very harmful to the respiratory system , and it ’ s making people cough and potentially spread the virus , even if they may not know that they ’ re infected .
It ’ s really scary .
And a lot of people are getting tear-gassed and are also getting arrested and then held in small , confined spaces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risk of the spread of COVID is intense .
AMY GOODMAN : I want to thank you so much , Stuart Schrader , for being with us , author of Badges Without Borders : How Global Counterinsurgency Transformed American Policing .
And that does it for today ’ s broadcast .
Today would have been Breonna Taylor ’ s 27th birthday .
She was shot to death by Louisville police inside her own apartment in Louisville , Kentucky , in March .
The officers have not been charged .
That does it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole discussion of the case of Breonna Taylor , go to democracynow.org .
Democracy Now !
working with as few people on site as possible , the majority of our amazing team working from home .
Democracy Now !
is produced with Renée Feltz , Mike Burke , Deena Guzder , Libby Rainey , Nermeen Shaikh , Carla Wills , Tami Woronoff , Charina Nadura , Sam Alcoff , Tey-Marie Astudillo , John Hamilton , Robby Karran , Hany Massoud , Adriano Contreras , María Taracena .
I ’ m Amy Goodman

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: As we take this larger, turning from Chris’s story to look at the militarization of the police force, the American Civil Liberties Union and Black Lives Matter announced Thursday they’re suing President Trump and Attorney General William Barr for authorizing a, quote, “unprovoked and frankly criminal attack” on protesters, that in Lafeyette Park in Washington, D.C., where the National Guard and officers dressed in riot gear fired tear gas, rubber bullets and flashbangs to disperse peaceful protesters on Monday so Trump could have his photo taken with a Bible in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church. The bishop there criticized him, said it was completely inappropriate that they should use their church, that Trump should use their church as a backdrop. The lawsuit alleges the Trump administration violated protesters’ constitutional rights of free speech and assembly.
For more, we’re going to Baltimore, Maryland, to speak with Stuart Schrader, associate director of the Program in Racism, Immigration, and Citizenship at Johns Hopkins University, author of the book Badges Without Borders: How Global Counterinsurgency Transformed American Policing.
Welcome back to Democracy Now! Can you talk, Stuart, about this militarization of police?
STUART SCHRADER: Yeah. I think what we’re seeing right now with the protests is a convergence of what I would consider three trends. The first is a long-term trend of police being trained to treat political protest and agitation as almost tantamount to a revolutionary situation, and therefore understanding their job of controlling protest as basically defending the republic. This has a long history. I cover it in my book. It goes back throughout the 20th century. I think we can apply the term “counterinsurgency” to this, meaning that we’re seeing a combination of social and political power being used to control political protest, in addition to police power, even in the absence of a real insurgency or a real revolutionary situation. This is a long-standing trend.
Another trend is what most of us would refer to as the militarization of policing. That means the use of military-style body armor and helmets, military-style trucks that are heavily armored, and, of course, the scary-looking military-style weaponry. Now, this type of material being in the hands of police increased after September 11th, 2001. But in the 1990s, under President Bill Clinton in 1997, Congress approved a program to transfer a lot of surplus material from the U.S. military into the hands of police. So this has been happening for quite a long time.
Now, I think that it’s important to note that we’re seeing this material on our screens in the context of protests. But it’s also been used quite widely in what we would consider ordinary policing situations — serving warrants and other types of routine activity.
And beyond that, I think it’s also important to note that, of course, George Floyd was not killed by a mine-resistant truck. George Floyd was killed by a police officer, in ordinary gear, who basically turned his body into a lethal weapon. So, I think that when we talk about the militarization of policing, we have to also ask ourselves if getting rid of it, which is, I think, on the table in a new way right now — we need to ask ourselves if getting rid of it is going to be enough.
And then the third trend that I would point to is, within the military, within the intellectuals and theorists of military strategy, there has been a turn toward urban space, turn toward cities. The idea here is that the U.S. military in coming decades is going to have to use its tactics in urban space, in the built environment of cities. This is a very sophisticated and detailed theoretical discourse that military strategists have developed, and it also entails a bunch of new tactics. And we’re starting to see —
AMY GOODMAN: Very quickly, Stuart, before we wrap — and we just have 30 seconds — this use of tear gas, use of pepper spray, in a time of COVID, of a pandemic that affects the respiratory system?
STUART SCHRADER: Yeah, it’s very dangerous. Tear gas is a misnomer. It does not just make people cry. It makes them cough and gag. It’s very harmful to the respiratory system, and it’s making people cough and potentially spread the virus, even if they may not know that they’re infected. It’s really scary. And a lot of people are getting tear-gassed and are also getting arrested and then held in small, confined spaces in jails and detention centers. And the risk of the spread of COVID is intense.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to thank you so much, Stuart Schrader, for being with us, author of Badges Without Borders: How Global Counterinsurgency Transformed American Policing.
And that does it for today’s broadcast. Today would have been Breonna Taylor’s 27th birthday. She was shot to death by Louisville police inside her own apartment in Louisville, Kentucky, in March. The officers have not been charged. That does it for our show. To see our whole discussion of the case of Breonna Taylor, go to democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! working with as few people on site as possible, the majority of our amazing team working from home. Democracy Now! is produced with Renée Feltz, Mike Burke, Deena Guzder, Libby Rainey, Nermeen Shaikh, Carla Wills, Tami Woronoff, Charina Nadura, Sam Alcoff, Tey-Marie Astudillo, John Hamilton, Robby Karran, Hany Massoud, Adriano Contreras, María Taracena. I’m Amy Goodman.


democracynow--2020-06-05--Watch: Police Pepper-Spray Black Filmmaker in Face at Peaceful Protest & Medics Help Him Survive

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is The Quarantine Report .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , as we turn now to look at how President Trump has threatened a military response to nationwide protests and how police are already using military-grade weapons against demonstrators .
In a minute , we ’ ll speak with the author of Badges Without Borders : How Global Counterinsurgency Transformed American Policing .
But first , we ’ re joined by Chris Frierson , an African American documentary filmmaker , cameraman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matter protest Saturday in Brooklyn , New York , when police moved in on demonstrators .
And as he filmed , police pepper-sprayed him directly in the face and lens .
Chris kept filming as he struggled to the sidewalk , crying in agony from the pain .
Within seconds , someone took his arm and guided him to volunteer medics , who came to his aid .
Yes , he filmed what happened to him , shared it with us .
This is a clip .
Listen closely .
AMY GOODMAN : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Award-winning documentary filmmaker , cameraman , filming a Black Lives Matter protest Saturday in Brooklyn for the award-winning documentary filmmaker Eugene Jarecki , when police moved in on demonstrators .
And as he filmed , they pepper-sprayed him in the face and lens .
Within seconds , he filmed himself getting help from volunteer medics .
Chris , it ’ s nice to see you sitting up and that your eyes aren ’ t closed .
Talk about exactly what happened .
Why did the police move in on you as you were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened was , it was a fairly peaceful protest .
Nothing was going on .
And as we moved through Brooklyn , the cops started surrounding us .
And at the drop of a hat , there was one woman in the crowd , who I filmed , who kind of ran in , threw a water bottle .
And I turned around , and soon as I turn around , there ’ s a phalanx of police officers that just start running .
They just start running towards a peaceful crowd and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw this liquid flying at me .
And it was too quick for me to even understand what was happening , but I was sort of — as you can see , I was incapacitated from that point on .
AMY GOODMAN : So , Chris , it ’ s always described as this nonlethal way of crowd control .
Describe what it feels like to be pepper-sprayed in the face .
CHRIS FRIERSON : It ’ s the second most painful experience I ’ ve ever had in my entire life .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t know what ’ s going on .
And I think that it ’ s more than the pain .
It ’ s just not knowing what ’ s happening all of a sudden , because you ’ re robbed of your sight .
You ’ re robbed of your senses .
And you just — you have no clear idea what ’ s happening .
And luckily enough , as you see in that video , people came to my aid immediately .
And if not for that , I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
AMY GOODMAN : I mean , it was amazing to see them , these grassroots medics on the ground .
AMY GOODMAN : Explain what they were spraying into your face .
They knew exactly what to do .
They had their equipment right on them .
And they , too , of course , can be pepper-sprayed .
CHRIS FRIERSON : Right .
Within seconds , they pulled me aside .
I ’ m over on the curb and not in the street anymore .
Saline solution and water .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I mean , this sounds , whatever — but it was their words that were just as helpful as the water and the milk that was like poured in my eyes .
It was them just reassuring me that — you can hear it — that it ’ s temporary , you ’ re going to be fine , and everything ’ s going to be OK. And that ’ s sort of the power of what a lot of people in these protests , I think — that ’ s the beauty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s people trying to help each other .
AMY GOODMAN : This wasn ’ t generalized , the attack on you .
I mean , the police shot you point-blank range .
You ’ re a Black man covering a Black Lives Matter protest .
You have a major camera right there .
And they just take you out with that pepper spray .
This also in the midst of the pandemic , where African American men are the most at risk of this respiratory attack on the system — right ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I mean , I feel like I personally can not say that they got me because of the color of my skin .
I do know that that probably did not help .
But what I saw when I saw those cops running towards me was , I saw a weird fear in their eyes , even though there was nothing to be afraid of on their side , from my opinion .
There was nothing really going on .
And so , I kind of — you know , when I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m not mad at that guy who did that .
I just am not .
I see him as someone who ’ s a product of the systematic failure in a system and policing .
And I think that that ’ s the main thing that needs to be addressed .
Like , I honestly am not mad at that guy .
He just — that ’ s what he ’ s trained to do .
AMY GOODMAN : And , Chris , as we wrap up , you — AMY GOODMAN : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets filming ?
CHRIS FRIERSON : Yeah .
I was out last night , peaceful until it wasn ’ t .
And the day before , the same .
But again , that goes back to the systematic failures of what the New York City police is , and I think cities across the country .
These guys are workers .
And these guys , largely , are being told to do things that are not appropriate .
AMY GOODMAN : I want to thank you for joining us , and thank goodness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Astounding that you ’ re right out on the streets after being pepper-sprayed directly in the face by police .
Documentary filmmaker and cameraman .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is The Quarantine Report. I’m Amy Goodman, as we turn now to look at how President Trump has threatened a military response to nationwide protests and how police are already using military-grade weapons against demonstrators. In a minute, we’ll speak with the author of Badges Without Borders: How Global Counterinsurgency Transformed American Policing. But first, we’re joined by Chris Frierson, an African American documentary filmmaker, cameraman, who was filming a Black Lives Matter protest Saturday in Brooklyn, New York, when police moved in on demonstrators. And as he filmed, police pepper-sprayed him directly in the face and lens. Chris kept filming as he struggled to the sidewalk, crying in agony from the pain. Within seconds, someone took his arm and guided him to volunteer medics, who came to his aid. Yes, he filmed what happened to him, shared it with us. This is a clip. Listen closely.
POLICE OFFICER: Get the [bleep] out of here!
CHRIS FRIERSON: Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!
PROTESTER 1: Are you good? You good?
CHRIS FRIERSON: Ah!
PROTESTER 1: Hey. Hey. You get sprayed?
CHRIS FRIERSON: Ah!
PROTESTER 1: You got sprayed?
CHRIS FRIERSON: Yeah.
PROTESTER 1: All right, come over here. I got some milk.
CHRIS FRIERSON: Ah!
PROTESTER 1: Let’s get you over here. I got some milk.
CHRIS FRIERSON: Ah!
PROTESTER 1: Hold on. Don’t touch your eyes.
CHRIS FRIERSON: Ah! Ah!
PROTESTER 2: Move the camera.
VOLUNTEER MEDIC: I got it. I got it. OK? Here we go.
CHRIS FRIERSON: OK.
VOLUNTEER MEDIC: Here we go. I’m just going to keep doing this. I know, I know, I know, it sucks.
CHRIS FRIERSON: Oh!
VOLUNTEER MEDIC: I know, I know, I know, it sucks. I got to get in there, though.
CHRIS FRIERSON: Yeah, that’s OK. I got it. Oh!
VOLUNTEER MEDIC: Did they get you only the eyes? Anywhere else?
CHRIS FRIERSON: Everywhere. My face.
VOLUNTEER MEDIC: OK.
CHRIS FRIERSON: Oh my god!
VOLUNTEER MEDIC: So, this is going to help balance the pH, and it’ll stop the stinging, all right?
CHRIS FRIERSON: OK, OK.
VOLUNTEER MEDIC: Jesus.
CHRIS FRIERSON: Oh.
VOLUNTEER MEDIC: Don’t — try not to.
CHRIS FRIERSON: All right, yeah.
VOLUNTEER MEDIC: OK. Does anyone have tissues or anything in their backpack? Anyone have tissues, anything?
PROTESTER 3: Anyone have tissues?
CHRIS FRIERSON: Tom!
PROTESTER 3: Anyone have tissues?
TOM: Yo, I’m here.
CHRIS FRIERSON: Take a picture of this.
TOM: I’m doing it. We’re rolling.
VOLUNTEER MEDIC: Here’s a little toilet paper. What I want you to do is blow your nose. Oh, perfect. This is better.
CHRIS FRIERSON: OK.
PROTESTER 4: Just open it up. Open it up.
CHRIS FRIERSON: Oh my god!
VOLUNTEER MEDIC: Yeah, perfect. OK, because you’re going to want to get it out of your nose. Ready? 1, 2, 3, blow. Good, perfect.
PROTESTER 5: You want me to get some milk?
VOLUNTEER MEDIC: No, we got saline. Saline is better for the eyes. OK, ready? OK, keep going. Ready? We’re going to do it again. Remember, it’s temporary. It’s not going to be like this. It’s not going to hurt you in a permanent way, but it sucks.
CHRIS FRIERSON: Thank you so much.
VOLUNTEER MEDIC: Yeah, I got you.
PROTESTER 5: No justice, no peace! [Bleep] these racist police!
VOLUNTEER MEDIC: Give me water.
CHRIS FRIERSON: They got me right in the face. Like, I saw it happening.
AMY GOODMAN: That’s Chris Frierson, Peabody Award-winning documentary filmmaker, cameraman, filming a Black Lives Matter protest Saturday in Brooklyn for the award-winning documentary filmmaker Eugene Jarecki, when police moved in on demonstrators. And as he filmed, they pepper-sprayed him in the face and lens. Within seconds, he filmed himself getting help from volunteer medics.
Chris, it’s nice to see you sitting up and that your eyes aren’t closed. Talk about exactly what happened. Why did the police move in on you as you were directly filming?
CHRIS FRIERSON: What happened was, it was a fairly peaceful protest. Nothing was going on. And as we moved through Brooklyn, the cops started surrounding us. And at the drop of a hat, there was one woman in the crowd, who I filmed, who kind of ran in, threw a water bottle. And I turned around, and soon as I turn around, there’s a phalanx of police officers that just start running. They just start running towards a peaceful crowd and start spraying things. And I just saw this liquid flying at me. And it was too quick for me to even understand what was happening, but I was sort of — as you can see, I was incapacitated from that point on.
AMY GOODMAN: So, Chris, it’s always described as this nonlethal way of crowd control. Describe what it feels like to be pepper-sprayed in the face.
CHRIS FRIERSON: It’s the second most painful experience I’ve ever had in my entire life. It is — you just don’t know what’s going on. And I think that it’s more than the pain. It’s just not knowing what’s happening all of a sudden, because you’re robbed of your sight. You’re robbed of your senses. And you just — you have no clear idea what’s happening. And luckily enough, as you see in that video, people came to my aid immediately. And if not for that, I don’t know what I would have done.
AMY GOODMAN: I mean, it was amazing to see them, these grassroots medics on the ground.
CHRIS FRIERSON: Right.
AMY GOODMAN: Explain what they were spraying into your face. They knew exactly what to do. They had their equipment right on them. And they, too, of course, can be pepper-sprayed.
CHRIS FRIERSON: Right. Within seconds, they pulled me aside. I’m over on the curb and not in the street anymore. Saline solution and water. And it was more their words than — I mean, this sounds, whatever — but it was their words that were just as helpful as the water and the milk that was like poured in my eyes. It was them just reassuring me that — you can hear it — that it’s temporary, you’re going to be fine, and everything’s going to be OK. And that’s sort of the power of what a lot of people in these protests, I think — that’s the beauty in the spirit of these. It’s people trying to help each other.
AMY GOODMAN: This wasn’t generalized, the attack on you. I mean, the police shot you point-blank range. You’re a Black man covering a Black Lives Matter protest. You have a major camera right there. And they just take you out with that pepper spray. This also in the midst of the pandemic, where African American men are the most at risk of this respiratory attack on the system — right? — COVID-19.
CHRIS FRIERSON: Right. I mean, I feel like I personally cannot say that they got me because of the color of my skin. I do know that that probably did not help. But what I saw when I saw those cops running towards me was, I saw a weird fear in their eyes, even though there was nothing to be afraid of on their side, from my opinion. There was nothing really going on.
And so, I kind of — you know, when I sort of internalized it, I’m not mad at that guy who did that. I just am not. I see him as someone who’s a product of the systematic failure in a system and policing. And I think that that’s the main thing that needs to be addressed. Like, I honestly am not mad at that guy. He just — that’s what he’s trained to do.
AMY GOODMAN: And, Chris, as we wrap up, you —
CHRIS FRIERSON: And that’s unfortunate. Yeah.
AMY GOODMAN: You are right back out on the streets filming?
CHRIS FRIERSON: Yeah. I was out last night, peaceful until it wasn’t. And the day before, the same. But again, that goes back to the systematic failures of what the New York City police is, and I think cities across the country. These guys are workers. And these guys, largely, are being told to do things that are not appropriate.
AMY GOODMAN: Chris Frierson, I want to —
CHRIS FRIERSON: But I did — yeah.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to thank you for joining us, and thank goodness that you’re OK right now. Astounding that you’re right out on the streets after being pepper-sprayed directly in the face by police. Documentary filmmaker and cameraman.