By Elite Reporter
The murder of George Floyd, an African-American on Wednesday, by racist policemen led by Derek Chauvin will not leave the United State of America the same, after protester decided to torch Minneapolis, ransack supermarkets, plus attacking government buildings and installations.
The situation has since degenerated in a full-blown battle between security forces and protesters, many have been arrested and jailed but others are still pouring on streets to wreck havoc.
On Friday 29 May, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called for swift justice for the police officers involved in the death of George Floyd.
Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer who was seen on video kneeling on the neck of a handcuffed Floyd until he broke his neck, was arrested by state investigators, Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington announced.
We have learnt that he has since been charged with third degree murder plus manslaughter.
As Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman explained during a press conference on Friday, Chauvin has been charged with murder and manslaughter.
“I’m here to announce that former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is in custody,” Freeman said.
“The former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been charged by the Hennepin County Attorney’s office with murder and with manslaughter,” he added.
This development came as Minnesota Governor Tim Walz acknowledged the “abject failure” of the response to the protests that rocked Minneapolis this week, and called for swift and fair justice for the police officers involved in Floyd’s death.
“It is my expectation that justice for officers involved in this will be swift, that it will come in a timely manner, that it will be fair,” Walz said. “I am confident that those very things I just said will happen.”
George Floyd died in police custody after being pinned to the ground and handcuffed by police officers who arrived in response to a call from a grocery store claiming Floyd had tried to pay for his purchase with an allegedly counterfeit banknote.
One of the four officers involved in the incident had held a knee to the neck of Floyd, who was saying “I can’t breathe” multiple times but was ignored by police.
Riots in Minneapolis
A wave of protests erupted in Minneapolis after the footage of the incident went viral, followed by an attack on the Minneapolis Police Department’s 3rd precinct headquarters, where the responding officers, who have since been fired, worked.
The police responded with tear gas and nonlethal ammunition, while Governor Walz called up the National Guard to help deal with the unrest.
“These activities threaten the safety of lawful demonstrators and other Minnesotans, and both first responders and demonstrators have already been injured,” the governor said.