protests
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For 2nd Night, Walter Wallace Protests Rock Philadelphia as National Guard Is Called In
Philadelphians turned out for the second night of protests on Tuesday night in the wake of the fatal police shooting of 27-year-old Walter Wallace Jr. Police and elected officials took a much more aggressive stance against protesters than they did on Monday, with Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) enlisting the help of the National Guard…
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Truck Driver Who Drove Through George Floyd Protesters in Minneapolis Charged
A truck driver who drove through a group of protesters on a bridge in Minneapolis now faces two criminal charges. On Thursday, Hennepin County prosecutors charged Bogdan Vechirko with making threats of violence and criminal vehicular operation. The charges are a felony and a gross misdemeanor, respectively. The prosecutors believe Bodgan was attempting to frighten…
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Op-Ed: Nigerian Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka Reflects on What Feels Like 'Déjà Vu—In Tragic Vein'
I arrived home from external commitments just over a week ago to an extraordinary homecoming gift. It took the form of a movement—sometimes angry, sometimes entrancing, poignant, sometimes strident, certainly robust in expectations but always moving, visionary and organized. That movement demanded an end to [brutality] from state security agencies, focusing on a notorious unit…
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Nigerian Army Threatens Action Against 'Trouble Makers' as Government Bans Police Brutality Protests in Nation's Capital
The Nigerian military has issued a warning to the public amid weeks of anti-police brutality protests, calling on “subversive elements and troublemakers to desist.” While protesters have actually been the target of violence this week as they continue demonstrations against the country’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), the warning from an army spokesman has been widely…
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Nigerian Police Force Says it Will Disband Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Amid Protests Against Corruption and Police Brutality
Nigeria’s Police Force says it has disbanded its Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), in response to a wave of protests online and in the streets of the African nation this week decrying the unit as an arm of corruption and rampant police brutality. Inspector general of Nigeria’s police, Muhammad Amadu, said in a live broadcast on…
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Florida State Prosecutor Launches Program to Reduce Number of People Charged With Resisting Arrest
In Florida, State Attorney Aramis Ayala has launched a program to reduce the amount of people prosecuted for non-violently resisting arrest. On Tuesday, Ayala revealed a new policy that grants prosecutors more discretion in being able to drop resisting arrest charges, the Orlando Sentinel reports. At a news conference announcing the policy, Ayala said data…
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Georgia Man Arrested for Pointing Gun and Throwing Smoke Grenade at Protesters
A Georgia man was arrested after firing a smoke grenade and pointing a gun at protesters last weekend. CNN reports 34-year-old Frederick James of Decatur, Ga., was arrested Saturday and charged with aggravated assault and reckless conduct. On Saturday, a group of 30-40 protesters were laying in the street in front of City Hall to…
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California District Attorney Reopens Investigation Into 2009 Police Killing of Oscar Grant
The 2009 shooting of Oscar Grant was a pivotal moment in the fight for police accountability: a graphic video showing a transit officer shooting Grant in the back was among the first of its kind, documenting a harrowing and deadly example of police brutality and setting off nationwide protests as millions bore secondhand witness to…
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Nebraska ACLU Files Lawsuit Alleging Omaha Police Used Excessive Force During Protests
A recently filed lawsuit accuses the Omaha, Neb. police force of using excessive force during the prolonged protests against police brutality and systemic racism this summer. ABC News reports that the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska filed a federal lawsuit questioning the tactics Omaha police used in response to the protests in May, June,…
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‘Don’t Be Like the President’: Trey Songz Confirms He Tested Positive for Coronavirus, Vows to Take Diagnosis Seriously
R&B Singer Trey Songz is the latest celebrity to test positive for the coronavirus, warning fans and supporters on Monday to continue taking precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the novel virus. Songz, née Tremaine Neverson, announced his diagnosis via Instagram Monday, saying he had been taking tests regularly on account of attending protests…