It could've been easily prevented by actually arresting someone that committed abject murder, but the city and the police chose to instead defend a man who has killed multiple people in the past and got away with it scott-free. So when people feel like justice no longer exists, there should be no surprise that they get angry.
It doesn't help that the police also employ agent provocateurs whom help incite riots and looting so that they can use more violent tactics with glee.
I think this is the key here. The whole BLM movement has been going on for years and, for the most part, it seems like a lot of people are more aware. It doesn't seem like anybody from the top cares to do anything about it though.
... and were left alone for weeks, or more. Given some slaps on the wrist. And the tax payer footed the bill for the cleanup.
To put it with MLK: A riot is the voice of the unheard.
The systemic issues of the Black (and other foreigner) community across the Western societies, especially with police and laws specifically designed to target them (e.g. almost all drug legislation), have been ignored for way too long. I'm no friend of rioting myself but I will not judge upon those who have deemed it necessary to be finally heard.
Wow, what an incredibly enlightened viewpoint, thanks for sharing. Curious to hear your thoughts on the Boston Tea Party.
There were also a lot of statements from police leadership that this incident wasn't acceptable or normal police procedure which is a drastic change from in the past where you had people staying silent or even defending and rationalizing the perpetrators actions.
The looting and rioting weaken a cause that after many years of being in the spotlight seemed to have reached a tipping point of overwhelming agreement.
Things are, ultimately, knowable. Its not "political" or up to "opinion".
I don't know if it could have been prevented by arresting just this murderer, as it's far from an isolated incident.
I do however think it could have been prevented by an edict from the top years ago, issuing a zero-tolerance policy for harassment, abuse and murder by police officers, with focus on clearly racially motivated incidents. I'm fom the UK, so don't claim to understand american politics, but I just don't understand why something like that hasn't happened, especially when Obama was president.
What else do you think might get this kind of attention? Fact is, incidents like this have been happening for a long, long time, yet nothing changes.
I think it's ludicrous to call a spontaneous out-pouring of despair and anger, after being wronged so badly for so long, an act of "terrorism".
Then we'll have to agree to disagree, opportunists don't exist without a crowd.