Protests Against Police Brutality

Police brutality has been a recent topic this year with many protests occurring in response to these brutal acts. Protests against police brutality have been happening around the world recently. These protests try to get the police to be less rough when arresting people and be less likely to reach for their gun in an unarmed situation. People in the U.S. and Israel are protesting police brutality and inequality, so the threat of people being injured or killed by police diminishes.

In New York City, several hundred protesters marched in Time Square protesting police brutality against minorities (Anadolu Agency). The protesters wanted justice for the death of Michael Brown, who was killed a Ferguson police officer named Darren Wilson. Anadolu Agency stated that, “Throughout the march, protesters

chanted slogans against mass incarceration and police brutality” (Anadolu Agency). The protest was organized by a group known as October 22 Coalition, who has observed October 22 as "National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation" (Anadolu Agency). One of the protesters, Jamel Mims claims that, “This system actually doesn't have a future for the youth” (Anadolu Agency). This means that the current brutal methods used by police will be a problem for future generations and if nothing is done about it then later generations will have the same problem and it could become even worse. They peacefully marched while chanting slogans against police brutality. Then on March 11, 2014, Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson resigned after two Ferguson police officers were wounded by an unknown criminal (Rhodan).
Similarly, citizens of Baltimore and Manhattan called for justice for Freddie Gray, who died after suffering spinal injuries when 6 officers arrested him. In Manhattan, police allowed protesters to have two marches; however 143 people were arrested for breaking the rules of the protests set up by police (Fitzsimmons). Some of the rules include no marching in the street and no disrupting traffic. (Fitzsimmons) In Baltimore, thousands of demonstrators protested against police brutality where Freddie Gray had died (The London Evening Standard). The London Evening Standard states that, “In Boston, activists gathered in a park behind police headquarters in Roxbury and continued with a peaceful march to a park across from the Roxbury neighborhood police station” (The London Evening Standard). They chanted slogans, like “no justice, no peace" and "hands up, don't shoot,” but soon a few people started causing trouble by throwing bricks and bottles at police officers then some protesters set cars on fire and raided buildings and shops (The London Evening Standard). 16 people were arrested and riots slowly spend across Baltimore.
Likewise, the people of Tel Aviv, a city in Israel, experienced a peaceful protest turned violent after police attacked protesters.

A riot is a violent disturbance of the peace by a crowd. Martin Luther King once stated, “A riot is the language of the unheard” (Farrell). This meant Dr. King, who only led peaceful protests, knows what can trigger a riot. Riots happen when no one is willing to listen or assist those who were protesting, and then violence breaks out because of ignorance. Peaceful protests can turn into riots very quickly. The people of Tel Aviv wanted justice for Damas Pakada, an Ethiopian Israeli soldier, who was brutally beaten by two police officers with the entire incident being caught on a nearby surveillance camera. CNN Wire states that, “[Israel’s] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement saying that ‘all claims will be looked into but there is no place for violence and such disturbances’” (CNN Wire). Unfortunately, several people had to be injured for the government to look into the matter. 69 people were injured in total; 57 officers and 12 protesters, also 43 protesters were arrested in the protest that turned into a riot (CNN

Wire).
Generally speaking, people protest when they feel that something is not right or is unfair. . If no one ever protested, then many events in history would never happen. Police brutality is one of those many things people feel is not right, so they are willing to fight against that injustice. Police brutality has been happening since the 17th century and nothing has really been done about it until now. Countries are starting to look in the matter and are trying to stop the violence caused by those who were trusted to protect the citizens of their nation.