Actor John Cusack joined protestors on streets of Los Angeles to protest against the killing George Floyd by a policeman. Cusack shared a video of one of the protests that he became a part of over the weekend and stated that how the police came after him a baton. 
 
A number of Hollywood stars and singers have come out in support of #BlackLivesMatter including singer-actress Lady Gaga. 
 
Here are the top stories of the day. 
 
Hollywood actor John Cusack shares video of police who 'came at me with batons' during US protests 
 
With more number of Hollywood celebs extending support for ‘Black Lives Matter’ as a black man named George Floyd lost his life due to police brutality, actor John Cusack shared a video of one of the protests that he became a part of over the weekend. As situation got out of control in many areas of Los Angeles and neighbouring cities, John shared multiple pictures and videos as he stepped out to protest in Chicago over the death of George Floyd. 
 
Read more: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/celebrity-news-hollywood-actor-john-cusack-shares-video-of-police-who-came-at-me-with-batons-during-us-protests-302274">https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/celebrity-news-hollywood-actor-john-cusack-shares-video-of-police-who-came-at-me-with-batons-during-us-protests-302274</a>

Lady Gaga issues statement on Black Lives Matter protests in the US and racism 
 
As the US protests gain momentum, Lady Gaga posted a lengthy message on social media on the unrest in the country. She called out racism in the country and more. In her post, Lady Gaga expressed reluctance that anything she would say "will incite further anger, although that is precisely the emotion that’s justified. I do not wish to contribute to more violence, I wish to contribute to a solution." 
 
Read more: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lady-gaga-issues-statement-on-black-lives-matter-protests-in-the-us-and-racism-302349">https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lady-gaga-issues-statement-on-black-lives-matter-protests-in-the-us-and-racism-302349</a>

Spike Lee releases film ‘3 Brothers – Radio Raheem, Eric Garner And George Floyd’ 
 
Award-winning filmmaker Spike Lee recently debuted a new short film titled ‘3 Brothers- Radio Raheem, Eric Garner and George Floyd’ which is a compilation of the scene from his 1989 film ‘Do The Right Thing’. It features the death of Radio Raheem and video of the deaths of Eric Garner in 2014 and George Floyd earlier this week. 
 
Read more: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/spike-lee-releases-film-3-brothers-radio-raheem-eric-garner-and-george-floyd-302296">https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/spike-lee-releases-film-3-brothers-radio-raheem-eric-garner-and-george-floyd-302296</a>

BTS makes history as 'DNA' becomes first Korean music video to cross 1 billion views 
 
BTS makes history yet again as the Korean pop band charted new heights of success. The boy band made YouTube story as their recently released music video titled ‘DNA’ hit the 1 billion mark on YouTube. With this, BTS has become the first Korean boy band’s music video ever to achieve the feat. 
 
read more: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood-news-bts-makes-history-as-dna-becomes-first-korean-music-video-to-cross-1-billion-views-302282">https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood-news-bts-makes-history-as-dna-becomes-first-korean-music-video-to-cross-1-billion-views-302282</a>

Madonna criticised for commenting on George Floyd's death with a dance video of her son 
 
Madonna's 'tribute' to George Floyd has not gone down well with people. The popstar joined millions across the world in condemning security guard George Floyd's murder. 
 
Read more:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/madonna-criticised-for-commenting-on-george-floyds-death-with-a-dance-video-of-her-son-302432"> https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/madonna-criticised-for-commenting-on-george-floyds-death-with-a-dance-video-of-her-son-302432</a>

&nbsp;

Actor John Cusack joined protestors on streets of Los Angeles to protest against the killing George Floyd by a policeman. Cusack shared a video of one of the protests that he became a part of over the weekend and stated that how the police came after him a baton.

Actor John Cusack joined protestors on streets of Los Angeles to protest against the killing George Floyd by a policeman. Cusack shared a video of one of the protests that he became a part of over the weekend and stated that how the police came after him a baton. A number of Hollywood stars and singers have come out in support of #BlackLivesMatter including singer-actress Lady Gaga. Here are the top stories of the day. Hollywood actor John Cusack shares video of police who 'came at me with batons' during US protests With more number of Hollywood celebs extending support for ‘Black Lives Matter’ as a black man named George Floyd lost his life due to police brutality, actor John Cusack shared a video of one of the protests that he became a part of over the weekend. As situation got out of control in many areas of Los Angeles and neighbouring cities, John shared multiple pictures and videos as he stepped out to protest in Chicago over the death of George Floyd. Read more: https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/celebrity-news-hollywood-actor-john-cusack-shares-video-of-police-who-came-at-me-with-batons-during-us-protests-302274 Lady Gaga issues statement on Black Lives Matter protests in the US and racism As the US protests gain momentum, Lady Gaga posted a lengthy message on social media on the unrest in the country. She called out racism in the country and more. In her post, Lady Gaga expressed reluctance that anything she would say "will incite further anger, although that is precisely the emotion that’s justified. I do not wish to contribute to more violence, I wish to contribute to a solution." Read more: https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lady-gaga-issues-statement-on-black-lives-matter-protests-in-the-us-and-racism-302349 Spike Lee releases film ‘3 Brothers – Radio Raheem, Eric Garner And George Floyd’ Award-winning filmmaker Spike Lee recently debuted a new short film titled ‘3 Brothers- Radio Raheem, Eric Garner and George Floyd’ which is a compilation of the scene from his 1989 film ‘Do The Right Thing’. It features the death of Radio Raheem and video of the deaths of Eric Garner in 2014 and George Floyd earlier this week. Read more: https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/spike-lee-releases-film-3-brothers-radio-raheem-eric-garner-and-george-floyd-302296 BTS makes history as 'DNA' becomes first Korean music video to cross 1 billion views BTS makes history yet again as the Korean pop band charted new heights of success. The boy band made YouTube story as their recently released music video titled ‘DNA’ hit the 1 billion mark on YouTube. With this, BTS has become the first Korean boy band’s music video ever to achieve the feat. read more: https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood-news-bts-makes-history-as-dna-becomes-first-korean-music-video-to-cross-1-billion-views-302282 Madonna criticised for commenting on George Floyd's death with a dance video of her son Madonna's 'tribute' to George Floyd has not gone down well with people. The popstar joined millions across the world in condemning security guard George Floyd's murder. Read more: https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/madonna-criticised-for-commenting-on-george-floyds-death-with-a-dance-video-of-her-son-302432

Top 5 Hollywood news today: Lady Gaga comments on #BlackLivesMatter, BTS creates history

The Kremlin on Monday rejected accusations it had played any role in protests rocking the United States, after former US&nbsp;National Security Advisor Susan Rice raised the possibility of Russian involvement.&nbsp;

Unrest has swept US&nbsp;cities since last week, after peaceful protests over the death of a black man in the custody of a white police officer turned violent. On Saturday Rice told CNN that fostering violence at protests was "right out of the Russian playbook".

"We see it all the time, we've seen it for years and frankly every day on social media where they take any painful divisive issue....and they play on both sides," she said. "Their aim is to divide us, to cause us to come into combat with each other, and to disintegrate from within."

"I would not be surprised to learn they have fomented some of these extremists on both sides using social media. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they are funding it in some way, shape or form and that's something that we need to take seriously."

Asked about Rice's comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We have never interfered in international affairs and we don't intend to interfere now."

"Any insinuations that have been mentioned are absolutely wrong, erroneous, and, as far as we understand, such insinuations can in no way reflect Washington's official position," said Peskov.

Russia has previously denied U.S. allegations it meddled in the 2016 presidential election to try to help Donald Trump get elected and says it is keen to try to rebuild battered ties with Washington.

The Kremlin on Monday rejected accusations it had played any role in protests rocking the United States, after former US National Security Advisor Susan Rice raised the possibility of Russian involvement.

The Kremlin on Monday rejected accusations it had played any role in protests rocking the United States, after former US National Security Advisor Susan Rice raised the possibility of Russian involvement. Unrest has swept US cities since last week, after peaceful protests over the death of a black man in the custody of a white police officer turned violent. On Saturday Rice told CNN that fostering violence at protests was "right out of the Russian playbook". "We see it all the time, we've seen it for years and frankly every day on social media where they take any painful divisive issue....and they play on both sides," she said. "Their aim is to divide us, to cause us to come into combat with each other, and to disintegrate from within." "I would not be surprised to learn they have fomented some of these extremists on both sides using social media. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they are funding it in some way, shape or form and that's something that we need to take seriously." Asked about Rice's comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We have never interfered in international affairs and we don't intend to interfere now." "Any insinuations that have been mentioned are absolutely wrong, erroneous, and, as far as we understand, such insinuations can in no way reflect Washington's official position," said Peskov. Russia has previously denied U.S. allegations it meddled in the 2016 presidential election to try to help Donald Trump get elected and says it is keen to try to rebuild battered ties with Washington.

Kremlin rejects idea floated by Obama-era security advisor it stoked US protests

One of the biggest social media sites on the internet, Twitter has changed its official display image to show solidarity with the ongoing protests against racism and police brutality.

The protests, which began in the United States after a black man, George Floyd was knelt on and killed by a policeman in Minneapolis, a city in the US state of Minnesota. The man died in the process on May 25, raising concerns of race-oriented state brutality in the country.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/white-house-doubles-down-dares-twitter-to-block-another-trumps-tweet-301891" hreflang="en">White House doubles down &amp; dares Twitter to block another Trump's tweet</a>

The Black Lives Matter movement has regained&nbsp;steam&nbsp;after the incident. Thousands of people across major cities like New York and Los Angeles have taken to the streets demanding justice for the victim.

The police officer, Derek Chauvin has been charged with murdering Floyd, after the video surfaced whereby the black man was asking for respite and reiterated his inability to breathe, which did not stop Chauvin from kneeling on his neck.

Related video:&nbsp;Twitter flags Donald Trump's tweet, Twitter says post 'Glorified Violence'

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/twitter-flags-donald-trumps-tweet-twitter-says-post-glorified-violence-301937/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Besides Chauvin, four officers have been sacked for their involvement in Floyd’s death.

“Please, I can’t breathe”, Floyd’s last words before death have become the primary slogan for the movement’s resurgence.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/twitter-says-ceo-dorsey-was-informed-in-advance-of-decision-to-hide-trump-tweet-301828" hreflang="en">Twitter says CEO Dorsey was informed in advance of decision to hide Trump tweet</a>

Twitter has been heavily involved in the movement. Recently, President Trump tweeted “When the looting starts, the shooting starts”, which was interpreted by many as an open threat to shoot protesters. The company flagged his tweet with a warning, in which he had also referred to the protesters as “thugs”.

His another factually incorrect tweet about ballot boxes was flagged by the company recently, after which Trump displayed outrage against social media companies and promised to sign a new order limiting the powers of such companies.

One of the biggest social media sites on the internet, Twitter has changed its official display image to show solidarity with the ongoing protests against racism and police brutality.

One of the biggest social media sites on the internet, Twitter has changed its official display image to show solidarity with the ongoing protests against racism and police brutality. The protests, which began in the United States after a black man, George Floyd was knelt on and killed by a policeman in Minneapolis, a city in the US state of Minnesota. The man died in the process on May 25, raising concerns of race-oriented state brutality in the country. Also read: White House doubles down & dares Twitter to block another Trump's tweet The Black Lives Matter movement has regained steam after the incident. Thousands of people across major cities like New York and Los Angeles have taken to the streets demanding justice for the victim. The police officer, Derek Chauvin has been charged with murdering Floyd, after the video surfaced whereby the black man was asking for respite and reiterated his inability to breathe, which did not stop Chauvin from kneeling on his neck. Related video: Twitter flags Donald Trump's tweet, Twitter says post 'Glorified Violence' Besides Chauvin, four officers have been sacked for their involvement in Floyd’s death. “Please, I can’t breathe”, Floyd’s last words before death have become the primary slogan for the movement’s resurgence. Also read: Twitter says CEO Dorsey was informed in advance of decision to hide Trump tweet Twitter has been heavily involved in the movement. Recently, President Trump tweeted “When the looting starts, the shooting starts”, which was interpreted by many as an open threat to shoot protesters. The company flagged his tweet with a warning, in which he had also referred to the protesters as “thugs”. His another factually incorrect tweet about ballot boxes was flagged by the company recently, after which Trump displayed outrage against social media companies and promised to sign a new order limiting the powers of such companies.

Twitter’s blue bird goes black to show solidarity with protestors in the US

From London to New Zealand, people join in on 'Black Lives Matter' protests

Police in riot gear charged protesters defying a curfew in Minneapolis Saturday, firing tear gas and stun grenades to keep them away from a police station, according to news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Officers, assisted by National Guard soldiers, had until then held back from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protestors-would-have-met-vicious-dogs-had-white-house-fence-been-breached-trump-302056">confronting demonstrators </a>out of fear of aggravating the crisis and because they were initially low in number, the report added.

Minneapolis has been gripped by several days of violent protests following the death of an unarmed black man during an arrest in the city on Monday.

(With inputs from AFP)&nbsp;

Police in riot gear charged protesters defying a curfew in Minneapolis Saturday, firing tear gas and stun grenades to keep them away from a police station, according to news agency AFP.

Police in riot gear charged protesters defying a curfew in Minneapolis Saturday, firing tear gas and stun grenades to keep them away from a police station, according to news agency AFP. Officers, assisted by National Guard soldiers, had until then held back from confronting demonstrators out of fear of aggravating the crisis and because they were initially low in number, the report added. Minneapolis has been gripped by several days of violent protests following the death of an unarmed black man during an arrest in the city on Monday. (With inputs from AFP)

Police charge protesters defying Minneapolis curfew: Report

Lady Gaga and K-pop girl band Blackpink have collaborated to release new single 'Sour Candy' which was unveiled on May 28. A part of Gaga's upcoming album 'Chromatica', the single has generated to a lot of interest. 
 
Now, typically when a single is released, fans of the artist trend the song on various social media platforms in order to create a buzz around it. It also helps to promote the song and gets more people to talk about it.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fnPn6At3v28" width="560"></iframe> 
 
On social media #SourCandy trended in the United States on May 28 but now some Blackpink fans (they call themselves Blinks) are asking people to not use the hashtag and instead support the current trending #BlackLivesMatter hashtag.

The #BlackLivesMatter movement has been trending on social media ever since George Floyd's death. Floyd, an African-American died after a now-fired Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly eight minutes.&nbsp; The officer has been fired since then. 
 
People have been using the hashtag to seek justice for Floyd's murder. Thousands in America have taken to the streets to demand justice. Those demands have also crossed over to social media as well, with people rallying behind hashtags like #minneapolisriots and other phrases like "Minneapolis Freedom Fund" trending on Twitter. 
 
Owing to the current situation, Blackpink fans have decided to postpone the promotion of 'SugarCandy' and instead use their social media might to make #BlackLivesMatter hashtag trend. Not just Blackpink fans, but other K-pop fans too have shown their support to the hashtag.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/from-justin-bieber-to-taylor-swift-celebrities-seek-justice-for-george-floyd-301554">Also read: From Justin Bieber to Taylor Swift: Celebrities seek justice for George Floyd</a>

Lady Gaga and K-pop girl band Blackpink have collaborated to release new single 'Sour Candy' which was unveiled on May 28. A part of Gaga's upcoming album 'Chromatica', the single has generated to a lot of interest.

Lady Gaga and K-pop girl band Blackpink have collaborated to release new single 'Sour Candy' which was unveiled on May 28. A part of Gaga's upcoming album 'Chromatica', the single has generated to a lot of interest. Now, typically when a single is released, fans of the artist trend the song on various social media platforms in order to create a buzz around it. It also helps to promote the song and gets more people to talk about it. On social media #SourCandy trended in the United States on May 28 but now some Blackpink fans (they call themselves Blinks) are asking people to not use the hashtag and instead support the current trending #BlackLivesMatter hashtag. The #BlackLivesMatter movement has been trending on social media ever since George Floyd's death. Floyd, an African-American died after a now-fired Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly eight minutes. The officer has been fired since then. People have been using the hashtag to seek justice for Floyd's murder. Thousands in America have taken to the streets to demand justice. Those demands have also crossed over to social media as well, with people rallying behind hashtags like #minneapolisriots and other phrases like "Minneapolis Freedom Fund" trending on Twitter. Owing to the current situation, Blackpink fans have decided to postpone the promotion of 'SugarCandy' and instead use their social media might to make #BlackLivesMatter hashtag trend. Not just Blackpink fans, but other K-pop fans too have shown their support to the hashtag. Also read: From Justin Bieber to Taylor Swift: Celebrities seek justice for George Floyd

K-pop fans avoid trending Blackpink and Lady Gaga's 'Sour Pink' out of respect for #BlackLivesMatter

Inspired from &#39;Black lives matter&#39;, scores of students, activists and members of Muslim community took out a silent protest &#39;Muslim lives matter&#39; in New Delhi on Saturday following hacking of a Muslim man in Rajasthan under the pretext of &#39;love jihad&#39;.

Holding placards such as &#39;Muslim Lives Matter&#39; and &#39;Speak up against bigotry&#39;, the protesters swarmed Delhi&#39;s Connaught Place area and formed a human chain to register their protest against hate crimes like these.

All India Kisan Sabha General Secretary and CPI(M) leader Hannan Mollah, who participated in the protest, said there has been a deliberate attempt to create a vicious atmosphere against the Muslims in the country and the attack was an outcome of that.

&quot;The crime is a result of hateful atmosphere. All over the country, there have been efforts to create a vicious atmosphere against Muslims,&quot; Mollah told ANI.

He further said 10 to 12 such incidents have occurred in Rajasthan in the last two years and attributed it to the communalised atmosphere in the state.

&quot;A communalised atmosphere has been created in Rajasthan. This has instigated even the common people to kill Muslims. RSS, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad are creating this atmosphere which has to be stopped,&quot; he added.

The protest was staged against the brutal killing in Rajsamand, where Mohammed Afrazul Khan, a Bengali migrant worker in Rajasthan was burnt alive, allegedly for &#39;love jihad&#39;.

The crime that has shocked the nation came to light after the perpetrator filmed the incident on Dev heritage road in Rajnagar area and uploaded it on the social media.

The accused has been identified as Shambhu Lal Raigar, a former marble trader. The videos that were uploaded on social media by 14-year-old nephew of Raigar, record him saying he killed Afrazul to save a woman from &quot;love jihad&quot;.

The police has arrested Raigar and his nephew and declared that a death penalty would be sought for the former.

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Director General of Police (DGP) said the prima facie reports cited the man seen in the video was not a &#39;normal human being&#39;, and a further investigation has been initiated in the matter.

Earlier in the day, the Rajasthan government also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the victim, while the West Bengal government provided widow pension to the deceased&#39;s wife and assured employment to the kin.&nbsp;

Holding placards such as 'Muslim Lives Matter' and 'Speak up against bigotry', the protesters swarmed Delhi's Connaught Place area and formed a human chain to register their protest against hate crimes like these.

Inspired from 'Black lives matter', scores of students, activists and members of Muslim community took out a silent protest 'Muslim lives matter' in New Delhi on Saturday following hacking of a Muslim man in Rajasthan under the pretext of 'love jihad'. Holding placards such as 'Muslim Lives Matter' and 'Speak up against bigotry', the protesters swarmed Delhi's Connaught Place area and formed a human chain to register their protest against hate crimes like these. All India Kisan Sabha General Secretary and CPI(M) leader Hannan Mollah, who participated in the protest, said there has been a deliberate attempt to create a vicious atmosphere against the Muslims in the country and the attack was an outcome of that. "The crime is a result of hateful atmosphere. All over the country, there have been efforts to create a vicious atmosphere against Muslims," Mollah told ANI. He further said 10 to 12 such incidents have occurred in Rajasthan in the last two years and attributed it to the communalised atmosphere in the state. "A communalised atmosphere has been created in Rajasthan. This has instigated even the common people to kill Muslims. RSS, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad are creating this atmosphere which has to be stopped," he added. The protest was staged against the brutal killing in Rajsamand, where Mohammed Afrazul Khan, a Bengali migrant worker in Rajasthan was burnt alive, allegedly for 'love jihad'. The crime that has shocked the nation came to light after the perpetrator filmed the incident on Dev heritage road in Rajnagar area and uploaded it on the social media. The accused has been identified as Shambhu Lal Raigar, a former marble trader. The videos that were uploaded on social media by 14-year-old nephew of Raigar, record him saying he killed Afrazul to save a woman from "love jihad". The police has arrested Raigar and his nephew and declared that a death penalty would be sought for the former. Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Director General of Police (DGP) said the prima facie reports cited the man seen in the video was not a 'normal human being', and a further investigation has been initiated in the matter. Earlier in the day, the Rajasthan government also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the victim, while the West Bengal government provided widow pension to the deceased's wife and assured employment to the kin.

Students, activists protest against Rajasthan hacking in Delhi

Why does Donald Trump matter?&nbsp;What factors seem to explain the flourishing of a Trump political brand?

There are several possible factors that show the contingent nature of Trump the brand politician. One, the rise of the everyday white middle class, if not working white man&rsquo;s frustrations with elite Washington politics. Then there&rsquo;s the dysfunction, if not corruption, of the US two-party system&mdash;especially the Republican Party&mdash;that now makes it difficult to distinguish between the two since both are rooted in neoliberal politics relying on market mechanisms to control state &ldquo;democratic&rdquo; institutions and vice versa.

Rising <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/12/05/u-s-income-inequality-on-rise-for-decades-is-now-highest-since-1928/">income and wealth inequalities</a> across segments of the declining middle class, the growth of conservative media outlets since the 1980s&mdash;especially Rupert Murdoch&rsquo;s business ventures&mdash;and the expanding campaign finance system that opens the powerful moneyed interests have all played a part. As do the return of identity politics over recognition and redistribution from the left and right&mdash;the political fights and white backlash over affirmative action, Black Lives Matter and the struggles over the classification system, leading to what I&nbsp;call a cultural war over taxonomy as politics for defining citizenship, civic worth and social entitlements.

The growth of the post-9/11 national security state putting an end to 1990s &ldquo;politically correct&rdquo; rhetoric and thus affording the &ldquo;othering&rdquo; of American citizens; the expansion of new media technologies like social media, allowing direct access to different people, ideas and public spaces, channels and potential markets for more self-advertising campaigns; and the upsurge of partisanship at all levels resulting in economic stagnation and congressional polarisation, among other stalemates, such as stalling Supreme Court nominees.

All these factors have elevated Trump beyond his wildest dreams, extending his reality-show persona into everyday political spaces, providing a public forum with audiences open&mdash;or perhaps vulnerable&mdash;to his brand of self-assertiveness seen through his exaggerated stories of success and political &ldquo;outsider&rdquo; claims.

GETTING DONALD TRUMP WRONG

Most social critics, media pundits, academics and political analysts have gotten Trump wrong. It is not even so much about the rise of Donald Trump. Rather, the ground he has occupied all these years has shifted to favour his kind of personalised, rhetorical and hyperbolic style of brand politics. We should think of the Trump phenomenon, or brand Trump, not as rising but rather more accurately as thriving within shifted social, political and economic environments.

Just consider his consistent anti-elite party position since the 1980s, or his opposition to Ronald Reagan&rsquo;s immigration policies (amnesty) and various critiques of&nbsp;George H.W. Bush&rsquo;s tax plans, Bill Clinton&rsquo;s trade deals (NAFTA) and George W. Bush&rsquo;s foreign policy (the so-called Bush Doctrine).

These changes over the past 30 years have made relevant Trump&rsquo;s bravado, hyper-individualism and anti-elite establishment politics. He is now more acceptable and allowed to flourish in this environment. In other words, the shifting social, economic and political conditions at home and abroad have made it more conducive for Trump to succeed and, therefore, they matter more to both traditionalist and political newcomers alike.

Throughout his campaign, Trump has tried to do several things. He has attempted to be the voice of the forgotten little guy&mdash;the white &ldquo;middle class&rdquo;&mdash;by playing the role of &ldquo;outsider.&rdquo;

But he plays the outsider role from within a major party label that gives him real access to mainstream media outlets: the non-politician who is self-made and independent enough to make the right decisions without fear of powerful interests as a show of strength in character and temperament; the successful businessman who knows the rules of the game and can create real change by negotiating deals while taking advantage of established rules/laws (bankruptcy, real estate and tax laws); and the individual with a third party candidate mentality, carefree attitude who exposes the truth about others (while diverting attention away from&nbsp;his own wrongdoings) by displaying a confident every-man&rsquo;s tough guy persona.

RAGE, FEAR AND DISCONTENT

Yes, Trump seems to have implicitly the third party candidate&rsquo;s &ldquo;I really can&rsquo;t win so might as well make best of the spotlight&rdquo; posture. Trump has played a third-party role since the beginning of the Republican Party primary, which allowed him to outmaneuver and out-shine those other flawed Republicans in the field because his brand, &ldquo;outsider&rdquo; claims and unorthodox style appealed to&nbsp;middle/working class white male rage, fears and feelings of discontent with a system that has left them behind.

All this has taken place in the context of what many have called a weak Grand Old Party (GOP), which has rather reluctantly appointed, if not anointed,&nbsp;Trump as the party&rsquo;s nominee to the US presidency. This comes despite&nbsp;Trump&rsquo;s own problematic and unprincipled self-interest politics played over the years&mdash;donating large amounts of money to campaigns across party lines, including the Clintons. Even more problematic is his constant reliance on the &ldquo;outsider&rdquo; trope that also grants him the right to claim the political system is rigged, corrupt or biased against him and his supporters.

Trump matters in another way. He brings a new political deviance rarely seen on the national stage with impunity. For instance, his acceptance of the party nomination and yet emphatically suggesting that he may not accept the results of the election&mdash;if he does not win of course.

This moment in modern US political history puts in jeopardy the nation&rsquo;s long-held conventional democratic practice of engaging in the peaceful transfer of power.

Trump seemingly gets away with such behaviour because he wholeheartedly believes he alone can fix things through&nbsp;providing what the current system supposedly needs: a leader with a candid voice, a straight shooter, a self-financed entrepreneur not dependent on party machines, or big money and Wall Street powers.

TRUMP POLITICS

In sum, Trump&rsquo;s brand of politics represents the best and worst of the neoliberal political environment we have today in America.&nbsp;He is an expert in self-asserting his identity into existence, constructing a brand that takes a life of its own and represents success in a materialistic sense. Yet he makes the brand appealing to those mostly at the lower levels of the American working and middle classes who aspire to similar successes and wealth despite the odds being against them, especially when most don&rsquo;t have a wealthy father who can lend $1 million as a startup fund.

Trump&rsquo;s brand matters because it appeals to an American sense of individualism, liberty and unlimited opportunities all rooted in some folk notion of puritanical morality.

However, the Trump brand is now more conducive to the new political environment that also includes increased anti-political correctness shepherding the worst tendencies in American social and political life. These range&nbsp;from a renewed sense of white male privilege or entitlement to the carelessness and insensitivity toward others who may find themselves in vulnerable positions: undocumented immigrants, Mexicans, women, refugees, Muslims, African Americans, certain military veterans, LGBTQ members of our society, and even media pundits who do not fall in line, among others.

The mostly rhetorical successes of the Trump brand go beyond this election cycle and into the heart of American liberal democracy. Trump matters because his brand has forced the Republican Party to reconsider its core values and principles, what it will stand for and who it will represent moving forward, whether Trump wins or not.

More broadly, we now have to ponder to what extent Americans will embrace the kinds of values, visions and practices the Trump brand has infused into our social and political culture, especially after November 8.&nbsp;

This <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/north_america/donald-trump-american-politics-us-election-20169/" rel="nofollow" target="blank">article</a> has been originally published in Fair Observer.

The changes over the past 30 years in the US have made relevant Trump?s bravado, hyper-individualism and anti-elite establishment politics

Why does Donald Trump matter? What factors seem to explain the flourishing of a Trump political brand? There are several possible factors that show the contingent nature of Trump the brand politician. One, the rise of the everyday white middle class, if not working white man’s frustrations with elite Washington politics. Then there’s the dysfunction, if not corruption, of the US two-party system—especially the Republican Party—that now makes it difficult to distinguish between the two since both are rooted in neoliberal politics relying on market mechanisms to control state “democratic” institutions and vice versa. Rising income and wealth inequalities across segments of the declining middle class, the growth of conservative media outlets since the 1980s—especially Rupert Murdoch’s business ventures—and the expanding campaign finance system that opens the powerful moneyed interests have all played a part. As do the return of identity politics over recognition and redistribution from the left and right—the political fights and white backlash over affirmative action, Black Lives Matter and the struggles over the classification system, leading to what I call a cultural war over taxonomy as politics for defining citizenship, civic worth and social entitlements. The growth of the post-9/11 national security state putting an end to 1990s “politically correct” rhetoric and thus affording the “othering” of American citizens; the expansion of new media technologies like social media, allowing direct access to different people, ideas and public spaces, channels and potential markets for more self-advertising campaigns; and the upsurge of partisanship at all levels resulting in economic stagnation and congressional polarisation, among other stalemates, such as stalling Supreme Court nominees. All these factors have elevated Trump beyond his wildest dreams, extending his reality-show persona into everyday political spaces, providing a public forum with audiences open—or perhaps vulnerable—to his brand of self-assertiveness seen through his exaggerated stories of success and political “outsider” claims. GETTING DONALD TRUMP WRONG Most social critics, media pundits, academics and political analysts have gotten Trump wrong. It is not even so much about the rise of Donald Trump. Rather, the ground he has occupied all these years has shifted to favour his kind of personalised, rhetorical and hyperbolic style of brand politics. We should think of the Trump phenomenon, or brand Trump, not as rising but rather more accurately as thriving within shifted social, political and economic environments. Just consider his consistent anti-elite party position since the 1980s, or his opposition to Ronald Reagan’s immigration policies (amnesty) and various critiques of George H.W. Bush’s tax plans, Bill Clinton’s trade deals (NAFTA) and George W. Bush’s foreign policy (the so-called Bush Doctrine). These changes over the past 30 years have made relevant Trump’s bravado, hyper-individualism and anti-elite establishment politics. He is now more acceptable and allowed to flourish in this environment. In other words, the shifting social, economic and political conditions at home and abroad have made it more conducive for Trump to succeed and, therefore, they matter more to both traditionalist and political newcomers alike. Throughout his campaign, Trump has tried to do several things. He has attempted to be the voice of the forgotten little guy—the white “middle class”—by playing the role of “outsider.” But he plays the outsider role from within a major party label that gives him real access to mainstream media outlets: the non-politician who is self-made and independent enough to make the right decisions without fear of powerful interests as a show of strength in character and temperament; the successful businessman who knows the rules of the game and can create real change by negotiating deals while taking advantage of established rules/laws (bankruptcy, real estate and tax laws); and the individual with a third party candidate mentality, carefree attitude who exposes the truth about others (while diverting attention away from his own wrongdoings) by displaying a confident every-man’s tough guy persona. RAGE, FEAR AND DISCONTENT Yes, Trump seems to have implicitly the third party candidate’s “I really can’t win so might as well make best of the spotlight” posture. Trump has played a third-party role since the beginning of the Republican Party primary, which allowed him to outmaneuver and out-shine those other flawed Republicans in the field because his brand, “outsider” claims and unorthodox style appealed to middle/working class white male rage, fears and feelings of discontent with a system that has left them behind. All this has taken place in the context of what many have called a weak Grand Old Party (GOP), which has rather reluctantly appointed, if not anointed, Trump as the party’s nominee to the US presidency. This comes despite Trump’s own problematic and unprincipled self-interest politics played over the years—donating large amounts of money to campaigns across party lines, including the Clintons. Even more problematic is his constant reliance on the “outsider” trope that also grants him the right to claim the political system is rigged, corrupt or biased against him and his supporters. Trump matters in another way. He brings a new political deviance rarely seen on the national stage with impunity. For instance, his acceptance of the party nomination and yet emphatically suggesting that he may not accept the results of the election—if he does not win of course. This moment in modern US political history puts in jeopardy the nation’s long-held conventional democratic practice of engaging in the peaceful transfer of power. Trump seemingly gets away with such behaviour because he wholeheartedly believes he alone can fix things through providing what the current system supposedly needs: a leader with a candid voice, a straight shooter, a self-financed entrepreneur not dependent on party machines, or big money and Wall Street powers. TRUMP POLITICS In sum, Trump’s brand of politics represents the best and worst of the neoliberal political environment we have today in America. He is an expert in self-asserting his identity into existence, constructing a brand that takes a life of its own and represents success in a materialistic sense. Yet he makes the brand appealing to those mostly at the lower levels of the American working and middle classes who aspire to similar successes and wealth despite the odds being against them, especially when most don’t have a wealthy father who can lend $1 million as a startup fund. Trump’s brand matters because it appeals to an American sense of individualism, liberty and unlimited opportunities all rooted in some folk notion of puritanical morality. However, the Trump brand is now more conducive to the new political environment that also includes increased anti-political correctness shepherding the worst tendencies in American social and political life. These range from a renewed sense of white male privilege or entitlement to the carelessness and insensitivity toward others who may find themselves in vulnerable positions: undocumented immigrants, Mexicans, women, refugees, Muslims, African Americans, certain military veterans, LGBTQ members of our society, and even media pundits who do not fall in line, among others. The mostly rhetorical successes of the Trump brand go beyond this election cycle and into the heart of American liberal democracy. Trump matters because his brand has forced the Republican Party to reconsider its core values and principles, what it will stand for and who it will represent moving forward, whether Trump wins or not. More broadly, we now have to ponder to what extent Americans will embrace the kinds of values, visions and practices the Trump brand has infused into our social and political culture, especially after November 8. This article has been originally published in Fair Observer.

Why does Donald Trump matter?

The parents of black teenager Michael Brown and the city of Ferguson, Missouri, have settled a lawsuit over his fatal shooting by a white city police officer in 2014, according to a court document filed on Monday.

Brown&#39;s death triggered sometimes violent protests in Ferguson and around the United States, fuelled by later police killings of unarmed black men in other cities. It also helped spark debate about racial bias in the US&nbsp;justice system.

Terms of the wrongful death settlement between Ferguson and Brown&#39;s parents, Michael Brown Sr&nbsp;and Lesley McSpadden, were not disclosed. US&nbsp;District Judge E&nbsp;Richard Webber approved the settlement and ordered it sealed.

&quot;The gross settlement amount is fair and reasonable compensation for this wrongful death claim and is in the best interests of each plaintiff,&quot; Webber wrote.

Both James Knowles, the mayor of the blue-collar, largely black St. Louis suburb, and Anthony Gray, the lead attorney for Brown&#39;s parents, declined to comment.

Brown and McSpadden, his ex-wife, sued the city, former Police Chief Tom Jackson, and former police officer Darren Wilson in 2015. Wilson shot Brown, 18, multiple times after a confrontation in August 2014 as Brown and a friend walked through their neighbourhood.

Images of the teen&#39;s body, which lay in the street for more than four hours, and an aftermath in which police officials defended Wilson&#39;s actions and characterised Brown as a thief, enraged many in the black community.

A federal probe of Brown&#39;s killing found systematic racial discrimination that targeted black residents and created a &quot;toxic environment&quot; in Ferguson.

The report said the city overwhelmingly arrested and issued traffic citations to blacks to boost city coffers, used police as a collection agency and fomented a culture of distrust that exploded when Brown was shot.

A grand jury decided not to charge Wilson, and the US&nbsp;Justice Department declined to bring any charges of civil rights violations against him.

Brown&#39;s death helped spark the &quot;Black Lives Matter&quot; movement protesting what was widely seen as the use of unrestrained lethal force against minorities by police.

(Reuters)

The terms of the wrongful death settlement between Brown's family and city officials have not been disclosed in public

The parents of black teenager Michael Brown and the city of Ferguson, Missouri, have settled a lawsuit over his fatal shooting by a white city police officer in 2014, according to a court document filed on Monday. Brown's death triggered sometimes violent protests in Ferguson and around the United States, fuelled by later police killings of unarmed black men in other cities. It also helped spark debate about racial bias in the US justice system. Terms of the wrongful death settlement between Ferguson and Brown's parents, Michael Brown Sr and Lesley McSpadden, were not disclosed. US District Judge E Richard Webber approved the settlement and ordered it sealed. "The gross settlement amount is fair and reasonable compensation for this wrongful death claim and is in the best interests of each plaintiff," Webber wrote. Both James Knowles, the mayor of the blue-collar, largely black St. Louis suburb, and Anthony Gray, the lead attorney for Brown's parents, declined to comment. Brown and McSpadden, his ex-wife, sued the city, former Police Chief Tom Jackson, and former police officer Darren Wilson in 2015. Wilson shot Brown, 18, multiple times after a confrontation in August 2014 as Brown and a friend walked through their neighbourhood. Images of the teen's body, which lay in the street for more than four hours, and an aftermath in which police officials defended Wilson's actions and characterised Brown as a thief, enraged many in the black community. A federal probe of Brown's killing found systematic racial discrimination that targeted black residents and created a "toxic environment" in Ferguson. The report said the city overwhelmingly arrested and issued traffic citations to blacks to boost city coffers, used police as a collection agency and fomented a culture of distrust that exploded when Brown was shot. A grand jury decided not to charge Wilson, and the US Justice Department declined to bring any charges of civil rights violations against him. Brown's death helped spark the "Black Lives Matter" movement protesting what was widely seen as the use of unrestrained lethal force against minorities by police. (Reuters)

Michael Brown: Ferguson settles lawsuit over black teenager killed by police officer in Missouri

Pepsi has apologised for a controversial advertisement that looked like right out of Black Lives Matter movement.&nbsp;

The advertisement received flak for trivialising a serious matter as such.&nbsp;

Pepsi, on Wednesday, sent&nbsp;out its apology on Twitter:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<a href="https://t.co/I21nQl68cY">pic.twitter.com/I21nQl68cY</a>
&mdash; Pepsi&trade; (@pepsi) <a href="https://twitter.com/pepsi/status/849679114416115714">5 April 2017</a></blockquote>
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The advertisement features Kendall Jenner, famous American model and TV personality as a part of the protest. The protesters are seen holding placards with the words &ldquo;Join the conversation&rdquo; written on them. Towards the ad&rsquo;s climactic scene, Jenner offers a police officer a can of Pepsi which is accepted by him amid cheer from the crowd.&nbsp;

Watch video:

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HoICzJZ44gI" width="560"></iframe>

The current activists who are still a part of the movement feel that the ad depicts an unreal world, where in fact, the opposite exists. Many also have a problem with Kendall Jenner, a white woman being portrayed as a &lsquo;hero&rsquo; in the film.&nbsp;

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Michael Jackson almost burned alive on the set of a Pepsi commercial and today that became the second worst moment in Pepsi history
&mdash; Russell (@RussellFalcon) <a href="https://twitter.com/RussellFalcon/status/849421668212776960">April 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Sorry, this seat&#39;s taken. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pepsi?src=hash">#pepsi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PepsiLivesMatter?src=hash">#PepsiLivesMatter</a> <a href="https://t.co/NjRkMaO2tc">pic.twitter.com/NjRkMaO2tc</a>
&mdash; Rosa Parks (@RosaLouParks) <a href="https://twitter.com/RosaLouParks/status/849708380629458949">April 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The fact that <a href="https://twitter.com/pepsi">@pepsi</a> think it&#39;s cool to commercialize the times we live in to sell a soda using a girl who&#39;s never marched for anything. Wtf
&mdash; Miss Fame (@MissFameNYC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MissFameNYC/status/849430400707555330">April 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The Kendall Jenner Pepsi fiasco is a perfect example of what happens when there&#39;s no black people in the room when decisions are being made.
&mdash; Travon Free (@Travon) <a href="https://twitter.com/Travon/status/849409230754983936">April 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
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When you listen to pepsi <a href="https://t.co/tCH1y7mKPP">pic.twitter.com/tCH1y7mKPP</a>
&mdash; Mo City King (@Kingkeraun) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kingkeraun/status/849817166404665344">April 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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On April 4th, <a href="https://twitter.com/pepsi">@pepsi</a> thought it was a good idea to release an ad where a Kardashian is playing a Civil Rights heroine. 
 
Abt sums it up...
&mdash; Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bakari_Sellers/status/849431288691994625">April 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Kendall: &quot;Pepsi choose me to just be the face, I didn&#39;t do anything.&quot; 
 
Twitter: <a href="https://t.co/6ZbQlRqyXG">pic.twitter.com/6ZbQlRqyXG</a>
&mdash; Black People Vines (@BIackPplVids) <a href="https://twitter.com/BIackPplVids/status/850117681059696640">6 April 2017</a></blockquote>
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Earlier in the day, Pepsi in a statement said: &ldquo;Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. It is a short film about the moments when we decide to let go, choose to act, follow our passion and nothing holds us back.&rdquo; But eventually pulled the plug on the advertisement.&nbsp;

Black Lives Matter is an international activist movement that campaigns against violence and perceived systemic racism toward black people. It started with holding protests against police killings of black people and broader issues of racial profiling, police brutality, and racial inequality in the United States criminal justice system.

(WION)

The ad was accused of trivialising the Black Lives Matter protests

Pepsi has apologised for a controversial advertisement that looked like right out of Black Lives Matter movement. The advertisement received flak for trivialising a serious matter as such. Pepsi, on Wednesday, sent out its apology on Twitter: pic.twitter.com/I21nQl68cY — Pepsi™ (@pepsi) 5 April 2017 × The advertisement features Kendall Jenner, famous American model and TV personality as a part of the protest. The protesters are seen holding placards with the words “Join the conversation” written on them. Towards the ad’s climactic scene, Jenner offers a police officer a can of Pepsi which is accepted by him amid cheer from the crowd. Watch video: The current activists who are still a part of the movement feel that the ad depicts an unreal world, where in fact, the opposite exists. Many also have a problem with Kendall Jenner, a white woman being portrayed as a ‘hero’ in the film. Michael Jackson almost burned alive on the set of a Pepsi commercial and today that became the second worst moment in Pepsi history — Russell (@RussellFalcon) April 5, 2017 × Sorry, this seat's taken. #pepsi #PepsiLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/NjRkMaO2tc — Rosa Parks (@RosaLouParks) April 5, 2017 × The fact that @pepsi think it's cool to commercialize the times we live in to sell a soda using a girl who's never marched for anything. Wtf — Miss Fame (@MissFameNYC) April 5, 2017 × The Kendall Jenner Pepsi fiasco is a perfect example of what happens when there's no black people in the room when decisions are being made. — Travon Free (@Travon) April 4, 2017 × When you listen to pepsi pic.twitter.com/tCH1y7mKPP — Mo City King (@Kingkeraun) April 6, 2017 × On April 4th, @pepsi thought it was a good idea to release an ad where a Kardashian is playing a Civil Rights heroine. Abt sums it up... — Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) April 5, 2017 × Kendall: "Pepsi choose me to just be the face, I didn't do anything." Twitter: pic.twitter.com/6ZbQlRqyXG — Black People Vines (@BIackPplVids) 6 April 2017 × Earlier in the day, Pepsi in a statement said: “Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. It is a short film about the moments when we decide to let go, choose to act, follow our passion and nothing holds us back.” But eventually pulled the plug on the advertisement. Black Lives Matter is an international activist movement that campaigns against violence and perceived systemic racism toward black people. It started with holding protests against police killings of black people and broader issues of racial profiling, police brutality, and racial inequality in the United States criminal justice system. (WION)

Pepsi apologises for controversial Kendall Jenner advertisement

A white US Army veteran from Baltimore bent on making a racist attack took a bus to New York, the &quot;media capital of the world,&quot; randomly picked out a black man who was collecting bottles on the street and killed him with a sword, police have said.

James Harris Jackson turned himself in at a Times Square police station early Wednesday, about 25 hours after Timothy Caughman staggered into a police precinct bleeding to death. &quot;I&#39;m the person that you&#39;re looking for,&quot; Jackson told police, according to Assistant Chief William Aubrey.

Jackson, who was arrested on suspicion of murder, told police he&#39;d harboured feelings of hatred toward black men for at least 10 years, authorities said. He traveled to New York on March 17 and had been staying in a Manhattan hotel.

&quot;The reason he picked New York is because it&#39;s the media capital of the world and he wanted to make a statement,&quot; Aubrey said.

Jackson was wandering the streets in a long overcoat concealing a 26-inch sword when he encountered Caughman, who was collecting bottles from trash cans, police said. Jackson stabbed him repeatedly in his chest and back, they said.

Caughman, who was 66 years old and lived nearby in a transitional house, was taken to a hospital by police shortly after he arrived to the station house. He died at the hospital. According to his Twitter page, he was an autograph collector and a music and movie lover who tweeted about John Lennon, Chuck Berry and the best St&nbsp;Patrick&#39;s Day writing. He said he&#39;d like to visit California someday.

After the attack, Jackson, who&#39;s 28, went to the bathroom of a nearby restaurant and washed off the blood from the killing, authorities said.

Investigators said they believed Jackson was considering other attacks but surrendered after noticing his photo in media reports. He had two knives and told investigators where they could find the sword, police said. The sword was retrieved from a trash can not far from the scene.

Video surveillance captured Jackson in the days leading up to the attack, and investigators said he had walked purposefully toward a black man but didn&#39;t attack him.

Jackson was expected to appear in court later Wednesday. It was unclear when he might get a lawyer who could comment on his case. He said nothing to reporters as he was led from a police station. A call to his family&#39;s home phone rang unanswered.

A former neighbour who tangled with Jackson over an apartment in Baltimore recalled him as &quot;a piece of work&quot; who fell months behind on rent.

&quot;He&#39;s just one of those people that you wish you never met,&quot; said Marcus Dagan, who had been informally managing the building on behalf of its then-owner and took Jackson to court over the rent.

(PTI)

James Harris Jackson randomly picked out a black man who was collecting bottles on the street and killed him with a sword

A white US Army veteran from Baltimore bent on making a racist attack took a bus to New York, the "media capital of the world," randomly picked out a black man who was collecting bottles on the street and killed him with a sword, police have said. James Harris Jackson turned himself in at a Times Square police station early Wednesday, about 25 hours after Timothy Caughman staggered into a police precinct bleeding to death. "I'm the person that you're looking for," Jackson told police, according to Assistant Chief William Aubrey. Jackson, who was arrested on suspicion of murder, told police he'd harboured feelings of hatred toward black men for at least 10 years, authorities said. He traveled to New York on March 17 and had been staying in a Manhattan hotel. "The reason he picked New York is because it's the media capital of the world and he wanted to make a statement," Aubrey said. Jackson was wandering the streets in a long overcoat concealing a 26-inch sword when he encountered Caughman, who was collecting bottles from trash cans, police said. Jackson stabbed him repeatedly in his chest and back, they said. Caughman, who was 66 years old and lived nearby in a transitional house, was taken to a hospital by police shortly after he arrived to the station house. He died at the hospital. According to his Twitter page, he was an autograph collector and a music and movie lover who tweeted about John Lennon, Chuck Berry and the best St Patrick's Day writing. He said he'd like to visit California someday. After the attack, Jackson, who's 28, went to the bathroom of a nearby restaurant and washed off the blood from the killing, authorities said. Investigators said they believed Jackson was considering other attacks but surrendered after noticing his photo in media reports. He had two knives and told investigators where they could find the sword, police said. The sword was retrieved from a trash can not far from the scene. Video surveillance captured Jackson in the days leading up to the attack, and investigators said he had walked purposefully toward a black man but didn't attack him. Jackson was expected to appear in court later Wednesday. It was unclear when he might get a lawyer who could comment on his case. He said nothing to reporters as he was led from a police station. A call to his family's home phone rang unanswered. A former neighbour who tangled with Jackson over an apartment in Baltimore recalled him as "a piece of work" who fell months behind on rent. "He's just one of those people that you wish you never met," said Marcus Dagan, who had been informally managing the building on behalf of its then-owner and took Jackson to court over the rent. (PTI)

White sword killer went to NY to attack black people: Police

White supremacist Dylann Roof deserves to die for the hate-fuelled killings of nine black churchgoers at a Bible study meeting in a Charleston, South Carolina, a US&nbsp;jury said on Tuesday after deliberating for less than three hours.

The same jury last month found Roof, 22, guilty of 33 federal charges, including hate crimes resulting in death, for the shocking mass shooting at the landmark Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in 2015.

Roof, who represented himself and did not argue against the death penalty, showed no emotion as the verdict was read.

Prosecutors said he planned the shooting for months, intending to incite racial violence by targeting the oldest African-American congregation in the US&nbsp;South.

&ldquo;He decided the day, the hour and the moment that my sister was going to die, and now someone is going to do the same for him,&quot; Melvin Graham, brother of shooting victim Cynthia Hurd, 54, said outside the federal courthouse in the heart of historic Charleston&#39;s downtown district.

Roof will be formally sentenced on Wednesday. He also faces the death penalty if convicted of murder charges in a pending state trial.

Whether he was competent to serve as his own attorney will be a fundamental issue in the appeals process, Robert Dunham, executive director of the Washington-based nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center, said in a telephone interview.

Roof did not present any evidence during the penalty phase that began last week or allow jurors to hear details about his mental health. Dunham said defence lawyers likely will use the trial to show appellate judges that mental illness prevented him from adequately representing himself.

&quot;We are sorry that, despite our best efforts, the legal proceedings have shed so little light on the reasons for this tragedy,&quot; Roof&#39;s lawyers, who represented him for the guilt phase, said in a statement.

Roof was unrepentant during his short closing argument, telling jurors he still felt the massacre was something he had to do.

&quot;Anyone who hates anything has good reason for it,&quot; he said. &quot;I have a right to ask you to give me a life sentence, but I&#39;m not sure what good that will do anyone.&quot;

On June 17, 2015, Roof sat for 40 minutes with parishioners gathered for a Bible study meeting before opening fire as they closed their eyes to pray, assistant US attorney Jay Richardson said in his final statement to jurors.

Roof pulled the trigger 75 times as he methodically killed Hurd; Clementa Pinckney, 41, the church&rsquo;s pastor and a state senator; DePayne Middleton Doctor, 49; Sharonda Coleman Singleton, 45; Susie Jackson, 87; Ethel Lance, 70; Myra Thompson, 59; Daniel Simmons Sr., 74; and Tywanza Sanders, 26.

Jurors heard four days of heartrending testimony from more than 20 of the victims&#39; loved ones, who described their legacies of faith and the devastation wrought by Roof&#39;s brutality.

&quot;What&#39;s wrong here is the calculated racism, the choice to target a church, particularly the people in a church,&quot; Richardson told jurors. &quot;What&#39;s wrong here is precisely why this is a case that justifies the death penalty.&quot;

(Reuters)

Prosecutors said that he planned to incite racial violence by targeting the oldest African-American congregation in the US?South

White supremacist Dylann Roof deserves to die for the hate-fuelled killings of nine black churchgoers at a Bible study meeting in a Charleston, South Carolina, a US jury said on Tuesday after deliberating for less than three hours. The same jury last month found Roof, 22, guilty of 33 federal charges, including hate crimes resulting in death, for the shocking mass shooting at the landmark Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in 2015. Roof, who represented himself and did not argue against the death penalty, showed no emotion as the verdict was read. Prosecutors said he planned the shooting for months, intending to incite racial violence by targeting the oldest African-American congregation in the US South. “He decided the day, the hour and the moment that my sister was going to die, and now someone is going to do the same for him," Melvin Graham, brother of shooting victim Cynthia Hurd, 54, said outside the federal courthouse in the heart of historic Charleston's downtown district. Roof will be formally sentenced on Wednesday. He also faces the death penalty if convicted of murder charges in a pending state trial. Whether he was competent to serve as his own attorney will be a fundamental issue in the appeals process, Robert Dunham, executive director of the Washington-based nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center, said in a telephone interview. Roof did not present any evidence during the penalty phase that began last week or allow jurors to hear details about his mental health. Dunham said defence lawyers likely will use the trial to show appellate judges that mental illness prevented him from adequately representing himself. "We are sorry that, despite our best efforts, the legal proceedings have shed so little light on the reasons for this tragedy," Roof's lawyers, who represented him for the guilt phase, said in a statement. Roof was unrepentant during his short closing argument, telling jurors he still felt the massacre was something he had to do. "Anyone who hates anything has good reason for it," he said. "I have a right to ask you to give me a life sentence, but I'm not sure what good that will do anyone." On June 17, 2015, Roof sat for 40 minutes with parishioners gathered for a Bible study meeting before opening fire as they closed their eyes to pray, assistant US attorney Jay Richardson said in his final statement to jurors. Roof pulled the trigger 75 times as he methodically killed Hurd; Clementa Pinckney, 41, the church’s pastor and a state senator; DePayne Middleton Doctor, 49; Sharonda Coleman Singleton, 45; Susie Jackson, 87; Ethel Lance, 70; Myra Thompson, 59; Daniel Simmons Sr., 74; and Tywanza Sanders, 26. Jurors heard four days of heartrending testimony from more than 20 of the victims' loved ones, who described their legacies of faith and the devastation wrought by Roof's brutality. "What's wrong here is the calculated racism, the choice to target a church, particularly the people in a church," Richardson told jurors. "What's wrong here is precisely why this is a case that justifies the death penalty." (Reuters)

Dylann Roof sentenced to death for South Carolina church massacre

Walmart has stopped selling t-shirts and sweatshirts featuring the word &ldquo;Bulletproof&rdquo; on Black Lives Matter merchandise after the national Fraternal Order of Police, the United States&rsquo; largest police organisation, called the slogan offensive.

Walmart said it would remove the shirts which say &ldquo;Bulletproof&rdquo;, but not the &ldquo;Black Lives Matter&rdquo; shirts, according to The Washington Post.

Chuck Canterbury, the FOP president, in a letter to Walmart CEO C Douglas McMillon on Tuesday, said Walmart website was selling &ldquo;offensive shirts and sweatshirts,&rdquo; and &ldquo;I urge you to prohibit the use of the Walmart name and website for the retail sale of these products&rdquo;, The Washington Post reported.

Walmart issued a statement on Tuesday night saying, &ldquo;Like other online retailers, we have a marketplace with millions of items offered by third parties that includes Blue Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter and All Lives Matter merchandise. After hearing concerns from customers, we are removing the specific item with the &lsquo;bulletproof&rsquo; reference.&rdquo;

The executive director of the police union in Washington, Jim Pasco said the issue was raised by union members who felt Walmart was selling anti-police items, The Washington Post reported.

&ldquo;Why not speak out against things that might be seen as fomenting violence, rather than things that commit violence?&rdquo;, Pasco added.&nbsp;The FOP on Wednesday sent a similar request to Amazon.com.

Black Lives Matter (BLM)&nbsp;is a fluid, leaderless movement&nbsp;devoted to raising awareness of, and finding solutions for,&nbsp;systemic violence and discrimination the&nbsp;African American community suffers at the hands of various institutions:&nbsp;the police,&nbsp;court system, and more.

BLM has gained a spotlight across America and beyond since the Ferguson riots of 2014, when militarised police armed with weapons from the Iraq war descended on the&nbsp;city in response to public protests against&nbsp;a court exonerating&nbsp;a policeman after he fatally shot an unarmed African American teenager, Mike Brown.

Since then, a rash of new videos filmed by people on their&nbsp;smartphone&nbsp;have been shared across social media, showing American police violence against&nbsp;African Americans.

Here is one such&nbsp;video that circulated yesterday:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
WTF WTF WTF WTF <a href="https://t.co/mlqOkCX8GZ">https://t.co/mlqOkCX8GZ</a>
&mdash; Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndyRichter/status/812046173326278656">December 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

(WION)

Walmart said it would remove the shirts which say 'Bulletproof' but not the 'Black Lives Matter' shirts

Walmart has stopped selling t-shirts and sweatshirts featuring the word “Bulletproof” on Black Lives Matter merchandise after the national Fraternal Order of Police, the United States’ largest police organisation, called the slogan offensive. Walmart said it would remove the shirts which say “Bulletproof”, but not the “Black Lives Matter” shirts, according to The Washington Post. Chuck Canterbury, the FOP president, in a letter to Walmart CEO C Douglas McMillon on Tuesday, said Walmart website was selling “offensive shirts and sweatshirts,” and “I urge you to prohibit the use of the Walmart name and website for the retail sale of these products”, The Washington Post reported. Walmart issued a statement on Tuesday night saying, “Like other online retailers, we have a marketplace with millions of items offered by third parties that includes Blue Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter and All Lives Matter merchandise. After hearing concerns from customers, we are removing the specific item with the ‘bulletproof’ reference.” The executive director of the police union in Washington, Jim Pasco said the issue was raised by union members who felt Walmart was selling anti-police items, The Washington Post reported. “Why not speak out against things that might be seen as fomenting violence, rather than things that commit violence?”, Pasco added. The FOP on Wednesday sent a similar request to Amazon.com. Black Lives Matter (BLM) is a fluid, leaderless movement devoted to raising awareness of, and finding solutions for, systemic violence and discrimination the African American community suffers at the hands of various institutions: the police, court system, and more. BLM has gained a spotlight across America and beyond since the Ferguson riots of 2014, when militarised police armed with weapons from the Iraq war descended on the city in response to public protests against a court exonerating a policeman after he fatally shot an unarmed African American teenager, Mike Brown. Since then, a rash of new videos filmed by people on their smartphone have been shared across social media, showing American police violence against African Americans. Here is one such video that circulated yesterday: WTF WTF WTF WTF https://t.co/mlqOkCX8GZ — Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) December 22, 2016 × (WION)

Walmart stops selling 'Bulletproof' Black Lives Matter t-shirts after police complaint

Defense attorneys urged a South Carolina jury on Wednesday (November 30) to look beyond a shocking video of a white police officer shooting a fleeing black motorist to death last year and consider all the evidence presented at the former policeman&#39;s murder trial.

Lawyers were making their closing arguments to jurors who will decide whether Michael Slager, 35, committed a crime when he killed 50-year-old Walter Scott in North Charleston.

Slager testified on Tuesday that he was afraid when he shot Scott, who state prosecutors said fled a traffic stop because he was behind on child-support payments and feared he might be arrested.

Attorney Andy Savage told the jury of 11 white people and one black person to consider not just the video, captured by a bystander and viewed by millions of Americans, but all the evidence presented since testimony began earlier this month.

Warning: Video contains graphic violence and language.&nbsp;

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XKQqgVlk0NQ" width="560"></iframe>

&quot;Setting the false narrative aside, let&#39;s look at the truth,&quot; he told jurors in a Charleston courtroom.

Earlier on Wednesday, the jury visited the empty lot in North Charleston where the shooting occurred, taking in a final bit of evidence in a case that intensified national debate about racial bias in law enforcement. The April 4, 2015, incident began when Slager stopped Scott&#39;s car for a broken brake light, and Scott fled. Slager chased the man, first firing a Taser stun gun at him and then drawing his firearm after a tussle.

Savage said Slager shot him &quot;in fear of his life&quot;, noting that the officer did not know at the time that Scott was unarmed.

He said the video transformed Slager into a national symbol for a wave of controversial police killings of black men in cities including New York, Baltimore and Ferguson, Missouri. Slager was fired, arrested and charged with murder.

Solicitor Scarlett Wilson told jurors that they had to find Slager acted with malice to convict him of murder.

&quot;It can be meanness. It can be ill will. It can be just a plain and reckless indifference to human life - like eight shots in the back,&quot; she said.

Prosecutors contend Slager did not appear to be in danger when he hit Scott with five of those shots. The jury could also weigh a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter for Slager, who faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted of murder.&nbsp;

(Agencies)

11 white and 1 black jurors were told to take all evidence into account, not just the video of the killing seen by millions of Americans

Defense attorneys urged a South Carolina jury on Wednesday (November 30) to look beyond a shocking video of a white police officer shooting a fleeing black motorist to death last year and consider all the evidence presented at the former policeman's murder trial. Lawyers were making their closing arguments to jurors who will decide whether Michael Slager, 35, committed a crime when he killed 50-year-old Walter Scott in North Charleston. Slager testified on Tuesday that he was afraid when he shot Scott, who state prosecutors said fled a traffic stop because he was behind on child-support payments and feared he might be arrested. Attorney Andy Savage told the jury of 11 white people and one black person to consider not just the video, captured by a bystander and viewed by millions of Americans, but all the evidence presented since testimony began earlier this month. Warning: Video contains graphic violence and language. "Setting the false narrative aside, let's look at the truth," he told jurors in a Charleston courtroom. Earlier on Wednesday, the jury visited the empty lot in North Charleston where the shooting occurred, taking in a final bit of evidence in a case that intensified national debate about racial bias in law enforcement. The April 4, 2015, incident began when Slager stopped Scott's car for a broken brake light, and Scott fled. Slager chased the man, first firing a Taser stun gun at him and then drawing his firearm after a tussle. Savage said Slager shot him "in fear of his life", noting that the officer did not know at the time that Scott was unarmed. He said the video transformed Slager into a national symbol for a wave of controversial police killings of black men in cities including New York, Baltimore and Ferguson, Missouri. Slager was fired, arrested and charged with murder. Solicitor Scarlett Wilson told jurors that they had to find Slager acted with malice to convict him of murder. "It can be meanness. It can be ill will. It can be just a plain and reckless indifference to human life - like eight shots in the back," she said. Prosecutors contend Slager did not appear to be in danger when he hit Scott with five of those shots. The jury could also weigh a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter for Slager, who faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted of murder. (Agencies)

Closing arguments presented in trial for ex-cop who killed unarmed black man, Walter Scott

Police in North Carolina released graphic camera footage of the shooting and death of a black man by officers in Charlotte last month, and a lawyer for the family said the video does not offer evidence supporting a police narrative that he was holding a gun.

The death of Keith Scott, a 43-year-old father of seven, was one of the latest to raise questions about racial bias in US&nbsp;law enforcement and further stoke a national debate on America&#39;s criminal justice system ahead of November&#39;s presidential election.

Protesters and family members have demanded Charlotte-Mecklenburg police release full police body camera footage in part to back up the police narrative that Scott was armed during the September 20 shooting.

A roughly 16-minute video shows officers giving Scott medical aid as he lay unresponsive on the ground in a parking lot. He repeatedly moans in agony, with his hands bound behind his back with handcuffs.

At one point, an officer says &quot;stay with us&quot; as officers count the bullet wounds on his bloodied body.

No gun can be seen with Scott in the video.

Even so, an officer near Scott tells another officer to &quot;stay right here with the gun.&quot;

After the video&#39;s release, Justin Bamberg, a lawyer for Scott&#39;s family, was quoted by the Charlotte Observer newspaper as telling reporters that the new video does not show Scott was armed.

&quot;My belief is if it was in that section near his body, you would have seen it,&quot; Bamberg said, according to the newspaper. &quot;We still don&#39;t know. This video does not shine any light on whether a firearm was in his possession or where it was found.&quot;

The funeral for Scott was canceled because of Hurricane Matthew bearing down on the region.

(Reuters)

A lawyer for the family said the video does not offer evidence supporting a police narrative that he was holding a gun

Police in North Carolina released graphic camera footage of the shooting and death of a black man by officers in Charlotte last month, and a lawyer for the family said the video does not offer evidence supporting a police narrative that he was holding a gun. The death of Keith Scott, a 43-year-old father of seven, was one of the latest to raise questions about racial bias in US law enforcement and further stoke a national debate on America's criminal justice system ahead of November's presidential election. Protesters and family members have demanded Charlotte-Mecklenburg police release full police body camera footage in part to back up the police narrative that Scott was armed during the September 20 shooting. A roughly 16-minute video shows officers giving Scott medical aid as he lay unresponsive on the ground in a parking lot. He repeatedly moans in agony, with his hands bound behind his back with handcuffs. At one point, an officer says "stay with us" as officers count the bullet wounds on his bloodied body. No gun can be seen with Scott in the video. Even so, an officer near Scott tells another officer to "stay right here with the gun." After the video's release, Justin Bamberg, a lawyer for Scott's family, was quoted by the Charlotte Observer newspaper as telling reporters that the new video does not show Scott was armed. "My belief is if it was in that section near his body, you would have seen it," Bamberg said, according to the newspaper. "We still don't know. This video does not shine any light on whether a firearm was in his possession or where it was found." The funeral for Scott was canceled because of Hurricane Matthew bearing down on the region. (Reuters)

After protests, North Carolina police release video of African American man's shooting

People gathered in a California town on Wednesday to protest against the police shooting of an urmed black man who was reportedly mentally ill.

Alfred Olango, 30, was shot in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon on Tuesday. The police had received a call about a man behaving erratically and walking in the streets.

El Cajon police chief Jeff Davis said Olango had ignored repeated calls by officers to remove his hand from his pocket. The officers felt threatened as the man took a &#39;shooting stance&#39;. An officer fired a taser at Olango while the other used his weapon.

&quot;At one point, the subject rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together and extended them rapidly toward the officer taking up what appeared to be a shooting stance,&quot; Davis said in a statement. &quot;At this time, the officer with the electronic control device discharged his weapon. Simultaneously, the officer with the firearm discharged his weapon several times, striking the subject.&quot;

A bystander&#39;s Facebook live video recorded the woman saying that she called 911 for help with her mentally ill brother.

&quot;You guys came and killed my brother,&quot; the woman wails in the video that had been viewed 82,000 times by Wednesday morning.

&quot;I called you guys to help my brother. You killed my brother in front of me.&quot;

Following the shooting, several people gathered at the scene Tuesday night chanting &quot;black lives matter&quot; and &quot;hands up, don&#39;t shoot,&quot; AFP reported. Olanga&#39;s sister also participated in the protest rally.

Olanga was an immigrant from Uganda who was working as a cook, The Washington Post reported his friends as saying.

Davis promised transparency in the investigation while the residents have called on the police to release the video footage of the incident. He said that the two officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave.

This will be looked at by multiple sets of eyes, and not just ours,&quot; said.

A &quot;Justice for Alfred Olango&quot; protest was planned on Wednesday in front of the El Cajon police station, AFP said.

&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
We are now at the scene of the shooting, where people are chanting &quot;black power&quot; and police are lined up in riot gear. <a href="https://t.co/nK8WyjBgI4">pic.twitter.com/nK8WyjBgI4</a>
&mdash; Sarah Parvini (@sarahparvini) <a href="https://twitter.com/sarahparvini/status/781220189358608384">September 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;

Teh El Cajon police department tweeted out a traffic alert&nbsp;on Wednesday.

&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Traffic Alert - Protesters are marching in El Cajon. &nbsp;Please avoid Broadway / Fletcher Pkwy / Graves / Ballantyne / Magnolia
&mdash; El Cajon Police (@elcajonpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/elcajonpolice/status/781229156788994048">September 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;

The deaths of black men at the hands of police have spurred protests across America, most recently last week in the North Carolina city of Charlotte.

A series of deadly police encounters across the country in recent years have raised questions about the use of force by US law enforcement against African-Americans and other minorities.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The two officers felt threatened by Alfred Olango's 'shooting stance' and fired a taser and a weapon at him simultaneously

People gathered in a California town on Wednesday to protest against the police shooting of an urmed black man who was reportedly mentally ill. Alfred Olango, 30, was shot in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon on Tuesday. The police had received a call about a man behaving erratically and walking in the streets. El Cajon police chief Jeff Davis said Olango had ignored repeated calls by officers to remove his hand from his pocket. The officers felt threatened as the man took a 'shooting stance'. An officer fired a taser at Olango while the other used his weapon. "At one point, the subject rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together and extended them rapidly toward the officer taking up what appeared to be a shooting stance," Davis said in a statement. "At this time, the officer with the electronic control device discharged his weapon. Simultaneously, the officer with the firearm discharged his weapon several times, striking the subject." A bystander's Facebook live video recorded the woman saying that she called 911 for help with her mentally ill brother. "You guys came and killed my brother," the woman wails in the video that had been viewed 82,000 times by Wednesday morning. "I called you guys to help my brother. You killed my brother in front of me." Following the shooting, several people gathered at the scene Tuesday night chanting "black lives matter" and "hands up, don't shoot," AFP reported. Olanga's sister also participated in the protest rally. Olanga was an immigrant from Uganda who was working as a cook, The Washington Post reported his friends as saying. Davis promised transparency in the investigation while the residents have called on the police to release the video footage of the incident. He said that the two officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave. This will be looked at by multiple sets of eyes, and not just ours," said. A "Justice for Alfred Olango" protest was planned on Wednesday in front of the El Cajon police station, AFP said. We are now at the scene of the shooting, where people are chanting "black power" and police are lined up in riot gear. pic.twitter.com/nK8WyjBgI4 — Sarah Parvini (@sarahparvini) September 28, 2016 Teh El Cajon police department tweeted out a traffic alert on Wednesday. Traffic Alert - Protesters are marching in El Cajon. Please avoid Broadway / Fletcher Pkwy / Graves / Ballantyne / Magnolia — El Cajon Police (@elcajonpolice) September 28, 2016 The deaths of black men at the hands of police have spurred protests across America, most recently last week in the North Carolina city of Charlotte. A series of deadly police encounters across the country in recent years have raised questions about the use of force by US law enforcement against African-Americans and other minorities. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Protests after unarmed African-American man shot dead by US police in El Cajon

A female police officer in the southern US city of Tulsa in Oklahoma was charged on Thursday with manslaughter for fatally shooting an African-American man last week.&nbsp; 
 
A warrant has been issued for officer Betty Shelby&#39;s arrest over the death of 40-year-old Terence Crutcher, the Tulsa county district attorney was quoted as saying by international news agency Reuters.&nbsp; 
 
The incident that has yet again raised questions of racial bias in US policing was captured by dashboard cameras and a police helicopter.&nbsp; 
 
In the video, Crutcher can be seen with his hands up, leaning against his car. He falls to the ground after getting shot by the police officer.&nbsp; 
 
[Warning: footage contains graphic violence] 
 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/98R4e0RSry8" width="560"></iframe> 
 
According to AFP, the Tulsa district attorney&#39;s chief investigator, Doug Campbell, has said in a court filing that the 40-year-old was shot when he was trying to reach into his car&#39;s driver&#39;s side front window. The lawyer representing the Crutcher family held a <a href="https://theintercept.com/2016/09/20/video-shows-terence-crutcher-not-reaching-car-shot-lawyer-says/">press conference</a> where he displayed zoomed-in pictures from the video footage to show that the driver&#39;s window was closed. 
 
Campbell said: &quot;Officer Shelby reacted unreasonably by escalating the situation from a confrontation with Mr Crutcher, who was not responding to verbal commands and was walking away from her with his hands held up, becoming emotionally involved to the point that she overreacted.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
According to CNN, the confrontation started after a 911 call on Friday from a woman who informed that &nbsp;&quot;an abandoned car was blocking the street and a man was running away&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
The caller reportedly insisted that the man warned that it was going to blow up.&nbsp; 
 
The CNN report further points out that Shelby was the first officer to arrive on the scene, though she was not responding to the 911 call. Her attorney has been quoted as saying by CNN that she was on her way to a domestic violence call when she saw Crutcher. 
 
The chief invesitgator further pointed out on Thursday that Shelby claimed she had been &quot;in fear of her life&quot; during the confrontation.&nbsp;However, no weapons were recovered from the site of the incident. It&#39;s been established that Crutcher was unarmed.&nbsp;Crutcher later died at a hospital from a single gunshot wound to the chest.&nbsp; 
 
Following the latest development, the victim&#39;s twin sister, Tiffany Crutcher, has applauded the quick action of the district attorney.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We will stay vigilant as this process moves forward and join the others, peacefully, in demanding greater accountability and transparency from law enforcement,&quot; she told reporters.&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;re demanding full prosecution. We want a conviction.&quot; 
 
The Department of Justice has opened a federal civil rights probe, parallel to the investigation being carried out by local authorities. &nbsp; 
 
The incident has triggered largely peaceful protests in Tulsa, however, unlike in Charlotte, North Carolina, where protests in response to another police kiling an African American man have seen violence.&nbsp; 
 
A group of activists, We the People Oklahoma, took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon ahead of the planned protests, and asserted that &quot;lot more needs to be done&quot;. <a href="http://www.newson6.com/story/33163826/we-the-people-oklahoma-pleased-with-charges-in-crutcher-shooting">News On 6</a> says the grassroots organisation drew a large crowd Thursday evening, calling for &quot;action and policy changes&quot;. Organisers say they&#39;re &quot;pleased&quot; that Officer Shelby was charged only six days after the incident. 
 
&quot;It just feels good that we have people being peaceful, and it feels good that we&#39;re not trying to cause any chaos, cause a riot. We&#39;re trying to be peaceful as possible, but at the same time it takes time to heal,&quot; Trevon McLemore said. 
&nbsp;
<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
For those with questions, yes we are still having a rally tonight at 6pm. There is still work to be done.
&mdash; WethePeopleOklahoma (@WeThePeopleOkla) <a href="https://twitter.com/WeThePeopleOkla/status/779068425381548033">September 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
 
 
The Tulsa Police department had faith that the protests would likely be peaceful.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;
<div class="twitter-block"><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="237" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3D10153899696488663%26id%3D50187668662&amp;width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe></div>
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The incident that has yet again raised questions of racial bias in US policing was captured by dashboard cameras and a police helicopter

A female police officer in the southern US city of Tulsa in Oklahoma was charged on Thursday with manslaughter for fatally shooting an African-American man last week. A warrant has been issued for officer Betty Shelby's arrest over the death of 40-year-old Terence Crutcher, the Tulsa county district attorney was quoted as saying by international news agency Reuters. The incident that has yet again raised questions of racial bias in US policing was captured by dashboard cameras and a police helicopter. In the video, Crutcher can be seen with his hands up, leaning against his car. He falls to the ground after getting shot by the police officer. [Warning: footage contains graphic violence] According to AFP, the Tulsa district attorney's chief investigator, Doug Campbell, has said in a court filing that the 40-year-old was shot when he was trying to reach into his car's driver's side front window. The lawyer representing the Crutcher family held a press conference where he displayed zoomed-in pictures from the video footage to show that the driver's window was closed. Campbell said: "Officer Shelby reacted unreasonably by escalating the situation from a confrontation with Mr Crutcher, who was not responding to verbal commands and was walking away from her with his hands held up, becoming emotionally involved to the point that she overreacted." According to CNN, the confrontation started after a 911 call on Friday from a woman who informed that "an abandoned car was blocking the street and a man was running away". The caller reportedly insisted that the man warned that it was going to blow up. The CNN report further points out that Shelby was the first officer to arrive on the scene, though she was not responding to the 911 call. Her attorney has been quoted as saying by CNN that she was on her way to a domestic violence call when she saw Crutcher. The chief invesitgator further pointed out on Thursday that Shelby claimed she had been "in fear of her life" during the confrontation. However, no weapons were recovered from the site of the incident. It's been established that Crutcher was unarmed. Crutcher later died at a hospital from a single gunshot wound to the chest. Following the latest development, the victim's twin sister, Tiffany Crutcher, has applauded the quick action of the district attorney. "We will stay vigilant as this process moves forward and join the others, peacefully, in demanding greater accountability and transparency from law enforcement," she told reporters. "We're demanding full prosecution. We want a conviction." The Department of Justice has opened a federal civil rights probe, parallel to the investigation being carried out by local authorities. The incident has triggered largely peaceful protests in Tulsa, however, unlike in Charlotte, North Carolina, where protests in response to another police kiling an African American man have seen violence. A group of activists, We the People Oklahoma, took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon ahead of the planned protests, and asserted that "lot more needs to be done". News On 6 says the grassroots organisation drew a large crowd Thursday evening, calling for "action and policy changes". Organisers say they're "pleased" that Officer Shelby was charged only six days after the incident. "It just feels good that we have people being peaceful, and it feels good that we're not trying to cause any chaos, cause a riot. We're trying to be peaceful as possible, but at the same time it takes time to heal," Trevon McLemore said. For those with questions, yes we are still having a rally tonight at 6pm. There is still work to be done. — WethePeopleOklahoma (@WeThePeopleOkla) September 22, 2016 The Tulsa Police department had faith that the protests would likely be peaceful. (WION with inputs from agencies)

US police officer charged for shooting unarmed African-American in Tulsa

In&nbsp;the&nbsp;recent fatal encounter between a US&nbsp;police officer and an African-American man, the evidence against the police is very damning. Footage from later-released two police cameras majorly contradicts the initial claims made by the Tulsa Police Department. A full investigation has been promised, but here is what&#39;s known so far.

Terence Crutcher, a 40-year-old pastor and a father of four, was driving home from a music appreciation class at Tulsa&nbsp;Community College when his car stalled. His car was idling&nbsp;the centre line,&nbsp;the driver&#39;s door was open. Betty Shelby was the first officer on the&nbsp;scene.&nbsp;This&nbsp;was&nbsp;7:40&nbsp;pm,&nbsp;Friday,&nbsp;September 16. Officer Shelby had been dispatched for a completely separate call, and just happened to come upon the stalled vehicle. 
 
Officer&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/09/20/terrence-crutcher-walked-to-police-for-help-they-shot-him-dead.html">Shelby</a> is a decorated officer hired in 2011 after working in the county sherrif&#39;s office for four years. She is&nbsp;a field trainer&nbsp;and is&nbsp;married to another officer. She has twice been accused&nbsp;of using <a href="http://heavy.com/news/2016/09/betty-jo-shelby-tulsa-oklahoma-police-officer-cop-terence-crutcher-photos-pictures-shooting-video-charlton-sanders-holycross/">excessive force</a>&nbsp;(both times were reportedly determined to be unfounded). 
 
Officer Shelby did not turn on her siren, so her dash cam wasn&#39;t activated. There is no footage of the first&nbsp;two minutes of her encounter with&nbsp;Crutcher.&nbsp;But she called for back up,&nbsp;claiming&nbsp;Crutcher &quot;never makes any response&quot; to her. The&nbsp;dashcam footage from&nbsp;this&nbsp;second police car, as well as from a police helicopter flying above, is what shows&nbsp;Crutcher had his hands up&nbsp;and never made any sudden movements in the moments leading up to his death. 
 
[Warning: this video is graphic&nbsp;] 
 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/98R4e0RSry8" width="560"></iframe> 
 
Four officers are on the scene. One of the&nbsp;back up officers, Tyler Turnbough, deploys his Taser. Right at the same time, Officer Shelby fires what is the fatal shot into his chest, and Crutcher collapses in a pool of blood. 
 
The police and the Crutcher family&#39;s&nbsp;attorney&nbsp;issued&nbsp;contrasting&nbsp;claims about what occured, and also about some of the facts colouring the interpretation of the incident. ? 
 
The police initially&nbsp;claimed&nbsp;that Crutcher had been reaching into his car, against&nbsp;police orders.&nbsp;But the family&#39;s attorney has since held a press conference showing&nbsp;a&nbsp;<a href="http://ktul.com/news/local/terence-crutchers-family-calls-news-conference-to-discuss-new-developments-in-case">zoom-in</a> from the police cam that shows&nbsp;blood on the driver&#39;s window, which he says proves that the window of the car was closed when&nbsp;the fatal shot was fired. One <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/king-arrest-tulsa-officer-killed-terence-crutcher-article-1.2798021">eyewitness </a>who spoke to Fox 23 in Tulsa&nbsp;contradicts the police&#39;s narrative entirely. The video seems to support&nbsp;this.&nbsp; 
 
Crutcher was unarmed,&nbsp;police found no weapon inside his car.&nbsp;It&#39;s worth repeating:&nbsp;Crutcher&nbsp;was not even&nbsp;suspected of a&nbsp;crime. His car had simply stalled when police happened to pass him. Yet these police killed him. 
 
Overheard from the police helicopter is audio indicating&nbsp;Crutcher was not a threat. &quot;He&#39;s got his hands up there for now,&quot; said the officer, who pretty incredibly is believed&nbsp;to be the husband of Officer Shelby. He is then recorded saying what will undermine his wife&#39;s near-future statement:&nbsp;&quot;This guy is walking and following commands.&quot;&nbsp;Despite Crutcher&#39;s evident compliance,&nbsp;an unknown officer in the same helicopter is soon heard saying:&nbsp;&quot;That&nbsp;looks like a bad dude.&quot; 
 
How is it that one cop saw a man obeying&nbsp;police, while the other, looking at&nbsp;the exact same person, saw an&nbsp;apparent&nbsp;threat? Terence Crutcher was a&nbsp;pastor and&nbsp;father of four, with his hands and fingers in the air. But&nbsp;one cop, from the distance of a&nbsp;helicopter flying overhead, seemed to just see&nbsp;a physically large, black man and&nbsp;deemed him &quot;bad&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
From the police side, Officer Shelby claims to have believed that Crutcher was&nbsp;high on PCP, or angel dust, a drug that can make&nbsp;users aggressive. She had&nbsp;recently undergone drug-training recognition, and believed he was acting erratically, her attorney told the <a href="http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/police-say-pcp-found-in-vehicle-occupied-by-terence-crutcher/article_d965a1f2-072b-57bf-a682-6b1cfb22b246.html">Tulsa World</a>. ABC reports that Shelby claims to have believed that she thought Crutcher was attempting to retrieve a weapon when she thought he was reaching into the car. In an interview with homicide detectives, her lawyer relates that Officer Shelby&nbsp;said, &quot;I was never so scared in my life as in that moment right then.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
But, again, the&nbsp;video&nbsp;shows a compliant man with&nbsp;his hands&nbsp;up. Also, Crutcher couldn&#39;t have been reaching in the car if the window was up. Maybe Officer Shelby&#39;s memory was foggy because this was surely a rattling experience, or maybe she was consciously trying to change the narrative so the killing appears to have mitigating circumstances.&nbsp; 
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<h5>It&#39;s worth repeating:&nbsp;Crutcher&nbsp;was not even&nbsp;suspected of a&nbsp;crime. His car had simply stalled when police happened to pass him. Yet these police killed him.</h5>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a a="" car="" class="twitter popup" crime.="" crutcher="" even="" had="" happened="" him.="" his="" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=It" killed="" not="" of="" pass="" police="" repeating:="" s="" simply="" stalled="" suspected="" these="" to="" was="" when="" worth="" yet="">&nbsp;</a></div>
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Tulsa Police sgt Dave Walker said the cops found a vial of PCP inside the car, but declined to say where in the car it was found, and did not&nbsp;determine&nbsp;whether or not&nbsp;Crutcher was under the influence of it.&nbsp;Toxicology reports have not confirmed what is even in the vial.&nbsp;&quot;If they did find it,&quot; said Tiffany Crutcher, Terence&#39;s&nbsp;twin sister, &quot;it was after he was shot and murdered.&quot; She added that discovering drugs is not justification for using lethal force. His car&nbsp;stalled; police&nbsp;had no reason to search his car, let alone shoot and kill him. 
 
Local, state and federal investigators will run an investigation, and as per protocol officer Shelby is on paid administrative leave. But&nbsp;an unarmed man accused of no crime was killed, and the&nbsp;discrepency between the initial police accounting of the incident with the later released video and physical&nbsp;evidence appears&nbsp;impossible to reconcile.&nbsp; 
 
But it&#39;s&nbsp;wrong to think that evidence this strong against the police will fundamentally change mainstream American opinion.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Protests to police killing 
 
African Americans have protested against&nbsp;police brutality for decades, but, for some people, smartphones and police camera documentation has made what once seemed&nbsp;impossible to believe now impossible to deny. But, to put it lightly, this is not true&nbsp;for everyone.&nbsp; 
 
Probably&nbsp;the most high-profile protest of African American deaths at the hands of police apart from the Black Lives Matter movement&nbsp;is that of&nbsp;Colin Kaepernick,&nbsp;an NFL quarterback who&nbsp;since the football pre-season&nbsp;has refused to stand up for the singing&nbsp;of the American national anthem. He has sat down or taken a knee instead.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/gettyimages-607547124-20160921120257.jpg" />

<div class="media-description">
Colin Kaepernick kneels in protest during the singing of the Star Spangled Banner. He is joined here by teammate Eric Reid.
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He has received support on social media, and from fellow NFL players and from other athletes. But more than galvanising,&nbsp;Kaepernick has received hate mail,&nbsp;death threats, and boos from thousands everytime he touches the football. This is just the start.&nbsp;In Miami, the union that represents the Sherrif&#39;s office&nbsp;called on the department to stop providing Miami Dolphin players security detail, after four Dolphin players&nbsp;knelt during the anthem in solidarity with Kaepernick. Several&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3768174/NFL-executives-hate-Colin-Kaepernick-call-traitor-believe-unlikely-play-pro-ball-again.html">NFL executives</a> call Kaepernick a traitor, and&nbsp;reportedly hate him&nbsp;even more than a player who is currently in jail for plotting to murder his girlfriend. This protest has apparently put&nbsp;his professional career in jeopardy. 
 
Kaepernick justified his&nbsp;protest&nbsp;thusly:&nbsp;&quot;I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour.&nbsp;To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.&quot; 
 
Since Kaepernick began protesting one month ago, at least <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/colin-kaepernick-police-killings_us_57e14414e4b04a1497b69ba6?">16&nbsp;African American</a> men have been killed with encounters&nbsp;police, including Crutcher. 
 
Why do so many&nbsp;value&nbsp;an American song more than&nbsp;American lives? Why is kneeling during a song a bigger outrage than actual people dying? 
 
NFL Super Bowl champion Richard Sherman refused to answer questions at a press conference Wednesday evening, and instead explained Kaepernick&#39;s stand: 
&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/RSherman_25">@RSherman_25</a>, truth-teller. ???. <a href="https://t.co/2oZFodvzOs">pic.twitter.com/2oZFodvzOs</a>
&mdash; deray mckesson (@deray) <a href="https://twitter.com/deray/status/778804891934334976">September 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
 
It might seem puzzling that there&#39;s such&nbsp;mass fury directed at a black man&#39;s&nbsp;peaceful, non-disrupive protest against&nbsp;innocent Americans&nbsp;killed by&nbsp;officials who are sworn to protect them. Kaepernick&#39;s gesture was&nbsp;so quiet and inconspicuous nobody even noticed it for weeks.&nbsp;Anyway, most fans use the singing of the national anthem at football games&nbsp;as a time to piss or buy beer.&nbsp; 
 
But racism isn&#39;t sensible. Neither is the automatic connection many make between the national anthem and the military, rather than a vast range of other American values or qualities. The hysterically&nbsp;hostile reaction to Kaepernick&#39;s protest makes as much sense as&nbsp;the&nbsp;police officer who from&nbsp;a helicopter&nbsp;saw a &quot;bad dude&quot;, and as much sense as killing this perfectly innocent man.&nbsp; 
 
(WION)

If this doesn't convince you there's a major problem with American policing, nothing will

In the recent fatal encounter between a US police officer and an African-American man, the evidence against the police is very damning. Footage from later-released two police cameras majorly contradicts the initial claims made by the Tulsa Police Department. A full investigation has been promised, but here is what's known so far. Terence Crutcher, a 40-year-old pastor and a father of four, was driving home from a music appreciation class at Tulsa Community College when his car stalled. His car was idling the centre line, the driver's door was open. Betty Shelby was the first officer on the scene. This was 7:40 pm, Friday, September 16. Officer Shelby had been dispatched for a completely separate call, and just happened to come upon the stalled vehicle. Officer Shelby is a decorated officer hired in 2011 after working in the county sherrif's office for four years. She is a field trainer and is married to another officer. She has twice been accused of using excessive force (both times were reportedly determined to be unfounded). Officer Shelby did not turn on her siren, so her dash cam wasn't activated. There is no footage of the first two minutes of her encounter with Crutcher. But she called for back up, claiming Crutcher "never makes any response" to her. The dashcam footage from this second police car, as well as from a police helicopter flying above, is what shows Crutcher had his hands up and never made any sudden movements in the moments leading up to his death. [Warning: this video is graphic ] Four officers are on the scene. One of the back up officers, Tyler Turnbough, deploys his Taser. Right at the same time, Officer Shelby fires what is the fatal shot into his chest, and Crutcher collapses in a pool of blood. The police and the Crutcher family's attorney issued contrasting claims about what occured, and also about some of the facts colouring the interpretation of the incident. ? The police initially claimed that Crutcher had been reaching into his car, against police orders. But the family's attorney has since held a press conference showing a zoom-in from the police cam that shows blood on the driver's window, which he says proves that the window of the car was closed when the fatal shot was fired. One eyewitness who spoke to Fox 23 in Tulsa contradicts the police's narrative entirely. The video seems to support this. Crutcher was unarmed, police found no weapon inside his car. It's worth repeating: Crutcher was not even suspected of a crime. His car had simply stalled when police happened to pass him. Yet these police killed him. Overheard from the police helicopter is audio indicating Crutcher was not a threat. "He's got his hands up there for now," said the officer, who pretty incredibly is believed to be the husband of Officer Shelby. He is then recorded saying what will undermine his wife's near-future statement: "This guy is walking and following commands." Despite Crutcher's evident compliance, an unknown officer in the same helicopter is soon heard saying: "That looks like a bad dude." How is it that one cop saw a man obeying police, while the other, looking at the exact same person, saw an apparent threat? Terence Crutcher was a pastor and father of four, with his hands and fingers in the air. But one cop, from the distance of a helicopter flying overhead, seemed to just see a physically large, black man and deemed him "bad". From the police side, Officer Shelby claims to have believed that Crutcher was high on PCP, or angel dust, a drug that can make users aggressive. She had recently undergone drug-training recognition, and believed he was acting erratically, her attorney told the Tulsa World. ABC reports that Shelby claims to have believed that she thought Crutcher was attempting to retrieve a weapon when she thought he was reaching into the car. In an interview with homicide detectives, her lawyer relates that Officer Shelby said, "I was never so scared in my life as in that moment right then." But, again, the video shows a compliant man with his hands up. Also, Crutcher couldn't have been reaching in the car if the window was up. Maybe Officer Shelby's memory was foggy because this was surely a rattling experience, or maybe she was consciously trying to change the narrative so the killing appears to have mitigating circumstances. It's worth repeating: Crutcher was not even suspected of a crime. His car had simply stalled when police happened to pass him. Yet these police killed him. Tulsa Police sgt Dave Walker said the cops found a vial of PCP inside the car, but declined to say where in the car it was found, and did not determine whether or not Crutcher was under the influence of it. Toxicology reports have not confirmed what is even in the vial. "If they did find it," said Tiffany Crutcher, Terence's twin sister, "it was after he was shot and murdered." She added that discovering drugs is not justification for using lethal force. His car stalled; police had no reason to search his car, let alone shoot and kill him. Local, state and federal investigators will run an investigation, and as per protocol officer Shelby is on paid administrative leave. But an unarmed man accused of no crime was killed, and the discrepency between the initial police accounting of the incident with the later released video and physical evidence appears impossible to reconcile. But it's wrong to think that evidence this strong against the police will fundamentally change mainstream American opinion. Protests to police killing African Americans have protested against police brutality for decades, but, for some people, smartphones and police camera documentation has made what once seemed impossible to believe now impossible to deny. But, to put it lightly, this is not true for everyone. Probably the most high-profile protest of African American deaths at the hands of police apart from the Black Lives Matter movement is that of Colin Kaepernick, an NFL quarterback who since the football pre-season has refused to stand up for the singing of the American national anthem. He has sat down or taken a knee instead. Colin Kaepernick kneels in protest during the singing of the Star Spangled Banner. He is joined here by teammate Eric Reid. He has received support on social media, and from fellow NFL players and from other athletes. But more than galvanising, Kaepernick has received hate mail, death threats, and boos from thousands everytime he touches the football. This is just the start. In Miami, the union that represents the Sherrif's office called on the department to stop providing Miami Dolphin players security detail, after four Dolphin players knelt during the anthem in solidarity with Kaepernick. Several NFL executives call Kaepernick a traitor, and reportedly hate him even more than a player who is currently in jail for plotting to murder his girlfriend. This protest has apparently put his professional career in jeopardy. Kaepernick justified his protest thusly: "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder." Since Kaepernick began protesting one month ago, at least 16 African American men have been killed with encounters police, including Crutcher. Why do so many value an American song more than American lives? Why is kneeling during a song a bigger outrage than actual people dying? NFL Super Bowl champion Richard Sherman refused to answer questions at a press conference Wednesday evening, and instead explained Kaepernick's stand: .@RSherman_25, truth-teller. ???. pic.twitter.com/2oZFodvzOs — deray mckesson (@deray) September 22, 2016 It might seem puzzling that there's such mass fury directed at a black man's peaceful, non-disrupive protest against innocent Americans killed by officials who are sworn to protect them. Kaepernick's gesture was so quiet and inconspicuous nobody even noticed it for weeks. Anyway, most fans use the singing of the national anthem at football games as a time to piss or buy beer. But racism isn't sensible. Neither is the automatic connection many make between the national anthem and the military, rather than a vast range of other American values or qualities. The hysterically hostile reaction to Kaepernick's protest makes as much sense as the police officer who from a helicopter saw a "bad dude", and as much sense as killing this perfectly innocent man. (WION)

US cop kills African-American, recorded on two video cameras

A white Ohio policeman responding to reports of an armed robbery fatally shot a 13-year-old African-American boy after he pulled out what appeared to be a weapon that was later determined to be a BB gun, police said on Thursday. 
 
Tyre King was shot multiple times in an alley when he drew what appeared to be a handgun from his waistband during a confrontation with officers on Wednesday in Columbus, the state capital, police said. 
 
&quot;We consider it a tragedy when something like this happens,&quot; Columbus police chief Kim Jacobs said at a news conference. &quot;This is the last thing any police officer wants.&quot; 
 
Jacobs identified the officer who shot King as Bryan Mason, a nine-year veteran. Mason was placed on temporary administrative duty, pending an internal investigation. Police identified the victim as Tyre King. 
 
The family said in a statement released by a Columbus law firm that it retained to investigate the shooting that &quot;numerous witness accounts are in direct conflict with the officer&#39;s version of events&quot;. 
 
The family also said reports of King&#39;s actions before the shooting were allegations only at this point and called for an independent investigation. 
 
&ldquo;The family is obviously distraught by the murder of Tyre,&quot; attorney Chanda L. Brown said in the statement, which described Tyre as a typical 13-year-old boy who was active in football, soccer, hockey and gymnastics. &quot;They are shocked and indicate the actions described by the police are out of his normal character.&quot; 
 
King&#39;s death comes nearly two years after the fatal shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who was black, by a white Cleveland, Ohio police officer who was responding to reports of a suspect with a gun in a city park. 
 
An investigation revealed that Rice, who died a day after the shooting, had been seen holding a replica gun that shoots plastic pellets. 
 
Rice&#39;s death became a rallying point for the Black Lives Matter movement and one of a number of deaths that led to nationwide demonstrations against the use of excessive and sometimes deadly force against minorities, especially young black men, by police officers. 
 
On July 5, police shot dead 37-year-old Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, while 32-year-old Philando Castile was fatally shot by police in St. Paul, Minnesota, a day later. 
 
In King&#39;s death, detectives retrieved the weapon from the scene of the shooting and later determined it was a BB gun, which shoots small round pellets, with an attached laser, police said. 
 
&quot;It looks like a firearm that could kill you,&quot; Jacobs said, as she held up an image of the same type of BB gun. 
 
The incident began just before 8 pm EDT on Wednesday when police responded to reports of an armed robbery. The victim told officers that a group of males had demanded money, threatening him with a gun, police said. 
 
A short time later officers found three males, including King, matching the descriptions of the suspects, police said. While attempting to question them, King and another male fled into an alley. 
 
Police followed and Mason shot King after he pulled what appeared to be the handgun from his waistband, police said. King was transported to the Nationwide Children&#39;s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 
 
The second male who ran into the alley was interviewed by police and released. Additional suspects were being sought. 
 
The Columbus Dispatch newspaper identified the second male as Demetrius Braxton, 19, who told the newspaper in an interview that he was with King for both the robbery and the shooting. 
 
&quot;I was in the situation. We robbed somebody, the people I was with,&quot; Braxton said, according to the Dispatch. 
 
Braxton told the paper that following the robbery the suspects were chased by police. 
 
&quot;The cops said to get down. We got down but my friend (King) got up and ran,&quot; Braxton said. &quot;He started to run. When he ran, the cops shot him.&quot; 
 
Braxton told the paper that King was shot four or five times, asking &quot;Why didn&#39;t they tase him?&quot; 
 
A grand jury will ultimately decide whether the officer should face criminal charges, the police chief said. 
 
The hashtag #TyreeKing was among the most used on Twitter in the United States on Thursday morning and Columbus officials called for calm during the investigation. 
 
&quot;These are crushing circumstances for everyone,&quot; Columbus Councilman Mitchell Brown said. &quot;Let the process work.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Responding to reports of an armed robbery, a 'white' policeman fatally shot Tyre King

A white Ohio policeman responding to reports of an armed robbery fatally shot a 13-year-old African-American boy after he pulled out what appeared to be a weapon that was later determined to be a BB gun, police said on Thursday. Tyre King was shot multiple times in an alley when he drew what appeared to be a handgun from his waistband during a confrontation with officers on Wednesday in Columbus, the state capital, police said. "We consider it a tragedy when something like this happens," Columbus police chief Kim Jacobs said at a news conference. "This is the last thing any police officer wants." Jacobs identified the officer who shot King as Bryan Mason, a nine-year veteran. Mason was placed on temporary administrative duty, pending an internal investigation. Police identified the victim as Tyre King. The family said in a statement released by a Columbus law firm that it retained to investigate the shooting that "numerous witness accounts are in direct conflict with the officer's version of events". The family also said reports of King's actions before the shooting were allegations only at this point and called for an independent investigation. “The family is obviously distraught by the murder of Tyre," attorney Chanda L. Brown said in the statement, which described Tyre as a typical 13-year-old boy who was active in football, soccer, hockey and gymnastics. "They are shocked and indicate the actions described by the police are out of his normal character." King's death comes nearly two years after the fatal shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who was black, by a white Cleveland, Ohio police officer who was responding to reports of a suspect with a gun in a city park. An investigation revealed that Rice, who died a day after the shooting, had been seen holding a replica gun that shoots plastic pellets. Rice's death became a rallying point for the Black Lives Matter movement and one of a number of deaths that led to nationwide demonstrations against the use of excessive and sometimes deadly force against minorities, especially young black men, by police officers. On July 5, police shot dead 37-year-old Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, while 32-year-old Philando Castile was fatally shot by police in St. Paul, Minnesota, a day later. In King's death, detectives retrieved the weapon from the scene of the shooting and later determined it was a BB gun, which shoots small round pellets, with an attached laser, police said. "It looks like a firearm that could kill you," Jacobs said, as she held up an image of the same type of BB gun. The incident began just before 8 pm EDT on Wednesday when police responded to reports of an armed robbery. The victim told officers that a group of males had demanded money, threatening him with a gun, police said. A short time later officers found three males, including King, matching the descriptions of the suspects, police said. While attempting to question them, King and another male fled into an alley. Police followed and Mason shot King after he pulled what appeared to be the handgun from his waistband, police said. King was transported to the Nationwide Children's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The second male who ran into the alley was interviewed by police and released. Additional suspects were being sought. The Columbus Dispatch newspaper identified the second male as Demetrius Braxton, 19, who told the newspaper in an interview that he was with King for both the robbery and the shooting. "I was in the situation. We robbed somebody, the people I was with," Braxton said, according to the Dispatch. Braxton told the paper that following the robbery the suspects were chased by police. "The cops said to get down. We got down but my friend (King) got up and ran," Braxton said. "He started to run. When he ran, the cops shot him." Braxton told the paper that King was shot four or five times, asking "Why didn't they tase him?" A grand jury will ultimately decide whether the officer should face criminal charges, the police chief said. The hashtag #TyreeKing was among the most used on Twitter in the United States on Thursday morning and Columbus officials called for calm during the investigation. "These are crushing circumstances for everyone," Columbus Councilman Mitchell Brown said. "Let the process work." (Reuters)

Ohio cop shoots 13-year-old African-American boy armed with a  BB gun that 'looked real'

Nine people from the Black Lives Matter movement &#39;erected a tripod and locked themselves together&#39; on the London city airport runway today, causing flights to be diverted for six hours. 
 
All nine have now been removed and taken into police custody, the London Metropolitan police said in a statement on their <a href="http://news.met.police.uk/news/protest-at-london-city-airport-184011?hootPostID=dd97130572b297d990bf4c61a3bdb17f" target="_blank">website</a>. 
 
Officers were alerted at 5.40 am (local time) to a number of protesters at London City airport, the statement said. 
 
The Twitter page of Black Lives Matter claimed responsibility and posted a video showing the protesters locked together on the runway, next to a sign. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Black people are the first to die not the first to fly. This is why London City Airport has been <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/shutdown?src=hash">#shutdown</a> <a href="https://t.co/HWvwNirerX">pic.twitter.com/HWvwNirerX</a>
&mdash; #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) <a href="https://twitter.com/ukblm/status/773106177509036032">September 6, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
They tweeted they were protesting UK&#39;s environmental impact on black people. Another tweet called for &#39;white people to take responsibility&#39;. 
 
&quot;7/10 of the countries most affected by climate change are in sub-Saharan Africa,&quot; said another tweet. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The UK is the biggest per-capita contributor to temperature change &amp; among the least vulnerable to its affects. <a href="https://t.co/Bb5SmKWyt6">pic.twitter.com/Bb5SmKWyt6</a>
&mdash; #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) <a href="https://twitter.com/ukblm/status/773053025720078336">September 6, 2016</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
There&#39;s a need for white people to take responsibility in a society that privileges them through racism and anti-black racism in particular
&mdash; #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) <a href="https://twitter.com/ukblm/status/773125488130789380">September 6, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
London City Airport apologised for the disruption in a tweet and advised passengers to check with their airlines for flight information. 
 
The nine people were arrested for aggravated trespass, being unlawfully airside and breaching London City Airport bylaws. All the protesters who had chained themselves together on the runway were white, The Guardian reported a spokeswoman for Black Lives Matter UK as saying. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
Today&#39;s protest is an example of white allyship under black leadership
&mdash; #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) <a href="https://twitter.com/ukblm/status/773125811503267840">September 6, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
All flights due to land at the airport were diverted to Southend and Gatwick airports, near London. The airport&#39;s sole runway is surrounded by water, but it was reported that the protesters were able to either swim or use a dinghy to cross the wharf, raising questions about security, AFP reported. 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

They were protesting UK's environmental impact on black people. All nine have been arrested for aggravated trespass

Nine people from the Black Lives Matter movement 'erected a tripod and locked themselves together' on the London city airport runway today, causing flights to be diverted for six hours. All nine have now been removed and taken into police custody, the London Metropolitan police said in a statement on their website. Officers were alerted at 5.40 am (local time) to a number of protesters at London City airport, the statement said. The Twitter page of Black Lives Matter claimed responsibility and posted a video showing the protesters locked together on the runway, next to a sign. Black people are the first to die not the first to fly. This is why London City Airport has been #shutdown pic.twitter.com/HWvwNirerX — #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) September 6, 2016 They tweeted they were protesting UK's environmental impact on black people. Another tweet called for 'white people to take responsibility'. "7/10 of the countries most affected by climate change are in sub-Saharan Africa," said another tweet. The UK is the biggest per-capita contributor to temperature change & among the least vulnerable to its affects. pic.twitter.com/Bb5SmKWyt6 — #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) September 6, 2016 There's a need for white people to take responsibility in a society that privileges them through racism and anti-black racism in particular — #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) September 6, 2016 London City Airport apologised for the disruption in a tweet and advised passengers to check with their airlines for flight information. The nine people were arrested for aggravated trespass, being unlawfully airside and breaching London City Airport bylaws. All the protesters who had chained themselves together on the runway were white, The Guardian reported a spokeswoman for Black Lives Matter UK as saying. Today's protest is an example of white allyship under black leadership — #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) September 6, 2016 All flights due to land at the airport were diverted to Southend and Gatwick airports, near London. The airport's sole runway is surrounded by water, but it was reported that the protesters were able to either swim or use a dinghy to cross the wharf, raising questions about security, AFP reported. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Black Lives Matter protesters shut London airport for 6 hours

US&nbsp;Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, visited Milwaukee&nbsp;on Tuesday, days after the city was hit by unrest over the fatal police shooting of a black man, and said that initial evidence pointed to the shooting being justified.

Trump, who has been vocal in support of law enforcement during a spate of protests around the country over high-profile police shootings, told Fox News that he plans to address the unrest during a town hall meeting on Tuesday in the Wisconsin city.

&quot;It&#39;s law and order. We have to obey the laws or we don&#39;t have a country,&quot; said Trump. &quot;We have a case where good people are out there trying to get people to sort of calm down and they&#39;re not calming down and we have our police who are doing a phenomenal job.&quot;

Unrest broke out in the city on Saturday night after the death earlier in the day of Sylville Smith, 23. Authorities said Smith was stopped for acting suspiciously and then fled, and was shot by police because he was carrying an illegal handgun and refused orders to drop it.

&quot;But the gun was pointed at his (a police officer&#39;s) head supposedly ready to be fired. Who can have a problem with that? That&rsquo;s what the narrative is,&quot; Trump told Fox News. &quot;Maybe it&rsquo;s not true. If it is true, people shouldn&rsquo;t be rioting.&rdquo;

Trump held a roundtable discussion on Tuesday afternoon with&nbsp;Milwaukee&nbsp;County Sheriff David Clarke and Inspector Edward Bailey - but news media representatives were escorted out and not permitted to hear the discussions. Trump took a brief tour of the county&#39;s war memorial and posed for pictures with veterans.

Clarke, who is black and who spoke last month at the Republican National Convention, has been blunt in his assessment of the unrest, writing in an opinion piece for The Hill, &quot;it was a collapse of the social order where tribal behaviour leads to reacting to circumstances instead of waiting for facts to emerge.&quot;

Demonstrations on Saturday night turned violent, when cars and businesses were set ablaze and gunfire ripped through the area of protests. The city was calmer on Monday night after a curfew was put in place for teenagers, and community leaders called for peace.

Police violence against African-Americans has set off intermittent, sometimes violent protests in the past two years, igniting a national debate over race and policing in the United States and giving rise to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Trump frequently talks about the need to restore safety and order in the wake of such unrest. He will hold an event with veterans and law enforcement, appear at the town hall meeting sponsored by Fox News, and then hold a rally in the&nbsp;Milwaukee&nbsp;suburb of West Bend on Tuesday night.

His presence in&nbsp;Milwaukee&nbsp;could prompt more demonstrations. Opponents of the New York real estate mogul frequently demonstrate inside and outside his campaign events. A rally in Chicago earlier this year was cancelled after demonstrations grew violent.

A Fox News representative would not elaborate on security for the event.

Meanwhile, officials from the Office of Director of National Intelligence are expected to give Trump a wide-ranging briefing on national security issues this week, an adviser to Trump and a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

Presidential candidates are entitled to receive a briefing of classified information after they formally secure the nomination, which Trump did last month. Trump&#39;s Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, is also entitled to receive a briefing if she requests one.

Democrats have been strongly critical of Trump&#39;s positions on foreign policy and national security, as well as of some of his freewheeling remarks. President Barack Obama has called Trump &quot;unfit&quot; for the presidency and earlier this month warned the Republican candidate that briefing information must be kept secret. 
 
(Reuters)

US presidential candidate said initial evidence suggests the man was shot by police as he had pointed a gun at a law enforcement officer

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, visited Milwaukee on Tuesday, days after the city was hit by unrest over the fatal police shooting of a black man, and said that initial evidence pointed to the shooting being justified. Trump, who has been vocal in support of law enforcement during a spate of protests around the country over high-profile police shootings, told Fox News that he plans to address the unrest during a town hall meeting on Tuesday in the Wisconsin city. "It's law and order. We have to obey the laws or we don't have a country," said Trump. "We have a case where good people are out there trying to get people to sort of calm down and they're not calming down and we have our police who are doing a phenomenal job." Unrest broke out in the city on Saturday night after the death earlier in the day of Sylville Smith, 23. Authorities said Smith was stopped for acting suspiciously and then fled, and was shot by police because he was carrying an illegal handgun and refused orders to drop it. "But the gun was pointed at his (a police officer's) head supposedly ready to be fired. Who can have a problem with that? That’s what the narrative is," Trump told Fox News. "Maybe it’s not true. If it is true, people shouldn’t be rioting.” Trump held a roundtable discussion on Tuesday afternoon with Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke and Inspector Edward Bailey - but news media representatives were escorted out and not permitted to hear the discussions. Trump took a brief tour of the county's war memorial and posed for pictures with veterans. Clarke, who is black and who spoke last month at the Republican National Convention, has been blunt in his assessment of the unrest, writing in an opinion piece for The Hill, "it was a collapse of the social order where tribal behaviour leads to reacting to circumstances instead of waiting for facts to emerge." Demonstrations on Saturday night turned violent, when cars and businesses were set ablaze and gunfire ripped through the area of protests. The city was calmer on Monday night after a curfew was put in place for teenagers, and community leaders called for peace. Police violence against African-Americans has set off intermittent, sometimes violent protests in the past two years, igniting a national debate over race and policing in the United States and giving rise to the Black Lives Matter movement. Trump frequently talks about the need to restore safety and order in the wake of such unrest. He will hold an event with veterans and law enforcement, appear at the town hall meeting sponsored by Fox News, and then hold a rally in the Milwaukee suburb of West Bend on Tuesday night. His presence in Milwaukee could prompt more demonstrations. Opponents of the New York real estate mogul frequently demonstrate inside and outside his campaign events. A rally in Chicago earlier this year was cancelled after demonstrations grew violent. A Fox News representative would not elaborate on security for the event. Meanwhile, officials from the Office of Director of National Intelligence are expected to give Trump a wide-ranging briefing on national security issues this week, an adviser to Trump and a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. Presidential candidates are entitled to receive a briefing of classified information after they formally secure the nomination, which Trump did last month. Trump's Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, is also entitled to receive a briefing if she requests one. Democrats have been strongly critical of Trump's positions on foreign policy and national security, as well as of some of his freewheeling remarks. President Barack Obama has called Trump "unfit" for the presidency and earlier this month warned the Republican candidate that briefing information must be kept secret. (Reuters)

Donald Trump sides with 'phenomenal' police in Milwaukee shooting

Tension gripped Milwaukee on Monday as officials hoped a late night curfew imposed on teenagers would deter another outbreak of rioting that hit the US Midwestern city the past two nights in response to the police shooting of an armed African-American man.&nbsp; 
 
Late on Monday afternoon, dozens of police, some in riot gear, erected fencing to cordon off Sherman Park, the center of the neighbourhood that was the scene of the weekend shooting and subsequent disturbances. Nearby, about 100 people held a picnic in a grassy area. 
 
&quot;Things got a little bit quieter last night, although there were still disturbances,&quot; Wisconsin governor Scott Walker told Fox News, &quot;but our hope is tonight things will finally quiet down thanks in large part to the leadership of many pastors and other church leaders in the Milwaukee community.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
&#39;Teenagers better be home&#39;&nbsp; 
 
As the sun set, there was notably lower foot traffic in the neighbourhood ahead of the 10 pm CDT (0300 GMT Tuesday) curfew. Police vehicles were seen parked in alleys and along major thoroughfares in that area of the city. 
 
&quot;There is a curfew that will be more strictly enforced tonight for teenagers,&quot; mayor Tom Barrett told a news conference. &quot;So parents, after 10 o&#39;clock your teenagers better be home or in a place where they&#39;re off the streets.&quot; 
 
Barrett renewed his call for state officials to release a video of the Saturday night shooting in hopes it would convince angry protesters that deadly force against Sylville K. Smith, 23, was justified. 
 
Milwaukee has become the latest American city to be gripped by violence over the past two years in response to fatal police confrontations with African-American men.&nbsp; 
 
Famed for its breweries, Milwaukee is also one of the most segregated cities in America, with a large concentration of unemployed African-American men in the inner city separated from the mostly white suburbs. 
 
Such inequality has afflicted many US cities as a result of the loss of manufacturing jobs over the past three decades, sometimes stoking unrest when police use deadly force. 
 
Police say Smith was stopped on Saturday afternoon for behaving suspiciously and that he then fled on foot between two homes. Smith was carrying a stolen handgun he refused to drop before he was killed, police said. 
 
The shooting led to the&nbsp;first night of violence in which gunshots were fired, six businesses were torched and 17 people were arrested. Police reported four officers were injured and police cars were damaged before calm was restored. 
 
On Sunday night, when police in riot gear faced off with protesters throwing bottles and bricks, four officers were injured and one other person suffered a gunshot wound, police said. Three police squad cars were damaged and 14 people were arrested, authorities said. 
 
 
&#39;Want the video released&#39; 
 
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker activated the National Guard on Sunday in case more trouble flared, but despite the violence, police said the guardsmen were not called in. 
 
The weekend shooting in Milwaukee was distinct in that the person killed was armed, according to the police account. The officer who fired the deadly shot was also&nbsp;African-American.&nbsp; 
 
The mayor would like Wisconsin state officials to release the video to the public in order to corroborate the police account. State law requires all police shootings to be investigated by an independent state agency, giving the state control over such evidence. 
 
&quot;I want the video released...I&#39;m going to urge that it be released as quickly as possible,&quot; said Barrett, who has yet to see it. 
 
Police chief Edward Flynn said on Sunday that video from the officer`s body camera showed Smith had turned toward the officer with a gun in his hand. 
 
The video appeared to show the officer acting within the law, Flynn said, but because the audio was delayed, it was unclear when the officer fired his weapon.&nbsp;Police had stopped Smith&#39;s car, leading to the chase on foot. 
 
Police said Smith&#39;s car was stopped because he was acting suspiciously, raising skepticism within largely African-American neighborhoods where people report racial discrimination from police. Smith also had a lengthy arrest record, officials said. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Milwaukee has become the latest American city to be gripped by violence in response to fatal police confrontations with African-American men

Tension gripped Milwaukee on Monday as officials hoped a late night curfew imposed on teenagers would deter another outbreak of rioting that hit the US Midwestern city the past two nights in response to the police shooting of an armed African-American man. Late on Monday afternoon, dozens of police, some in riot gear, erected fencing to cordon off Sherman Park, the center of the neighbourhood that was the scene of the weekend shooting and subsequent disturbances. Nearby, about 100 people held a picnic in a grassy area. "Things got a little bit quieter last night, although there were still disturbances," Wisconsin governor Scott Walker told Fox News, "but our hope is tonight things will finally quiet down thanks in large part to the leadership of many pastors and other church leaders in the Milwaukee community." 'Teenagers better be home' As the sun set, there was notably lower foot traffic in the neighbourhood ahead of the 10 pm CDT (0300 GMT Tuesday) curfew. Police vehicles were seen parked in alleys and along major thoroughfares in that area of the city. "There is a curfew that will be more strictly enforced tonight for teenagers," mayor Tom Barrett told a news conference. "So parents, after 10 o'clock your teenagers better be home or in a place where they're off the streets." Barrett renewed his call for state officials to release a video of the Saturday night shooting in hopes it would convince angry protesters that deadly force against Sylville K. Smith, 23, was justified. Milwaukee has become the latest American city to be gripped by violence over the past two years in response to fatal police confrontations with African-American men. Famed for its breweries, Milwaukee is also one of the most segregated cities in America, with a large concentration of unemployed African-American men in the inner city separated from the mostly white suburbs. Such inequality has afflicted many US cities as a result of the loss of manufacturing jobs over the past three decades, sometimes stoking unrest when police use deadly force. Police say Smith was stopped on Saturday afternoon for behaving suspiciously and that he then fled on foot between two homes. Smith was carrying a stolen handgun he refused to drop before he was killed, police said. The shooting led to the first night of violence in which gunshots were fired, six businesses were torched and 17 people were arrested. Police reported four officers were injured and police cars were damaged before calm was restored. On Sunday night, when police in riot gear faced off with protesters throwing bottles and bricks, four officers were injured and one other person suffered a gunshot wound, police said. Three police squad cars were damaged and 14 people were arrested, authorities said. 'Want the video released' Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker activated the National Guard on Sunday in case more trouble flared, but despite the violence, police said the guardsmen were not called in. The weekend shooting in Milwaukee was distinct in that the person killed was armed, according to the police account. The officer who fired the deadly shot was also African-American. The mayor would like Wisconsin state officials to release the video to the public in order to corroborate the police account. State law requires all police shootings to be investigated by an independent state agency, giving the state control over such evidence. "I want the video released...I'm going to urge that it be released as quickly as possible," said Barrett, who has yet to see it. Police chief Edward Flynn said on Sunday that video from the officer`s body camera showed Smith had turned toward the officer with a gun in his hand. The video appeared to show the officer acting within the law, Flynn said, but because the audio was delayed, it was unclear when the officer fired his weapon. Police had stopped Smith's car, leading to the chase on foot. Police said Smith's car was stopped because he was acting suspiciously, raising skepticism within largely African-American neighborhoods where people report racial discrimination from police. Smith also had a lengthy arrest record, officials said. (Reuters)

Curfew imposed on teens in US city of Milwaukee to quell rioting; tension continues

Tension flared again yesterday night, with one person shot and a police officer injured, in the Milwaukee area where the fatal shooting of a suspect by an officer had sparked rioting, prompting Wisconsin&#39;s governor to activate the National Guard. 
 
Police violence against African-Americans has set off intermittent, sometimes violent protests in the past two years, igniting a national debate over race and policing and giving rise to the Black Lives Matter movement. 
 
After peaceful vigils by small groups of demonstrators earlier, Milwaukee police said late on Sunday night they had rescued one shooting victim, who was taken to hospital. It was not known whether the injured person was a protester.&nbsp;One police officer was hospitalised after a rock smashed a patrol car windshield, the MPD said. 
 
Police said they began attempting to disperse crowds after shots were fired and objects, including rocks and bottles, were thrown by some protesters. Several arrests were reported. 
 
About 20 police in riot gear faced a group of more than 100 protesters in a tense standoff that continued into the early morning hours, punctuated by sporadic reports of gunfire. 
 
Despite the violence, police said the National Guard had not been called in, as authorities worked to restore order.&nbsp;Wisconsin governor Scott Walker took the precaution of activating the National Guard in case more violence broke out over the death of Sylville K Smith, 23, who was shot while trying to flee from an officer who had stopped his car. 
 
Aiming to reassure the community that the police acted properly, chief Edward Flynn said yesterday he had viewed video from the officer&#39;s body camera and it showed Smith had turned toward him with a gun in his hand after a traffic stop. 
 
The Sherman Park neighborhood, where a heated confrontation between residents and officers clad in riot gear turned violent overnight, had been peaceful at dusk. 
 
About 200 people lit candles and gathered near the spot where Smith was shot. A few officers looked on as faith and community leaders implored protesters to restrain their anger. 
 
The previous night, shots were fired, six businesses were burned and police cars damaged before calm was restored in the area, which has a reputation for poverty and crime. Seventeen people were arrested, and four officers were injured. 
 
At a news conference with Mayor Tom Barrett, Flynn said the officer who fired the fatal shot was black and media reports also identified Smith as black. 
 
He said a silent video of the incident appeared to show the officer acting within lawful bounds. He said the officer stopped Smith&#39;s vehicle because he was behaving suspiciously and then had to chase him several dozen feet on foot into an enclosed space between two houses. 
 
He said the moment when the officer fired his weapon could not be determined because the audio was delayed. 
 
The mayor said Smith did not drop the gun as ordered before he was shot.&nbsp;Smith had a lengthy arrest record, Barrett said, and officials said earlier he was carrying a stolen handgun loaded with 23 rounds of ammunition when stopped. 
 
(Reuters)

It is unknown whether the shooting victim was a protester. The police officer was hospitalised after a rock smashed a patrol car windshield

Tension flared again yesterday night, with one person shot and a police officer injured, in the Milwaukee area where the fatal shooting of a suspect by an officer had sparked rioting, prompting Wisconsin's governor to activate the National Guard. Police violence against African-Americans has set off intermittent, sometimes violent protests in the past two years, igniting a national debate over race and policing and giving rise to the Black Lives Matter movement. After peaceful vigils by small groups of demonstrators earlier, Milwaukee police said late on Sunday night they had rescued one shooting victim, who was taken to hospital. It was not known whether the injured person was a protester. One police officer was hospitalised after a rock smashed a patrol car windshield, the MPD said. Police said they began attempting to disperse crowds after shots were fired and objects, including rocks and bottles, were thrown by some protesters. Several arrests were reported. About 20 police in riot gear faced a group of more than 100 protesters in a tense standoff that continued into the early morning hours, punctuated by sporadic reports of gunfire. Despite the violence, police said the National Guard had not been called in, as authorities worked to restore order. Wisconsin governor Scott Walker took the precaution of activating the National Guard in case more violence broke out over the death of Sylville K Smith, 23, who was shot while trying to flee from an officer who had stopped his car. Aiming to reassure the community that the police acted properly, chief Edward Flynn said yesterday he had viewed video from the officer's body camera and it showed Smith had turned toward him with a gun in his hand after a traffic stop. The Sherman Park neighborhood, where a heated confrontation between residents and officers clad in riot gear turned violent overnight, had been peaceful at dusk. About 200 people lit candles and gathered near the spot where Smith was shot. A few officers looked on as faith and community leaders implored protesters to restrain their anger. The previous night, shots were fired, six businesses were burned and police cars damaged before calm was restored in the area, which has a reputation for poverty and crime. Seventeen people were arrested, and four officers were injured. At a news conference with Mayor Tom Barrett, Flynn said the officer who fired the fatal shot was black and media reports also identified Smith as black. He said a silent video of the incident appeared to show the officer acting within lawful bounds. He said the officer stopped Smith's vehicle because he was behaving suspiciously and then had to chase him several dozen feet on foot into an enclosed space between two houses. He said the moment when the officer fired his weapon could not be determined because the audio was delayed. The mayor said Smith did not drop the gun as ordered before he was shot. Smith had a lengthy arrest record, Barrett said, and officials said earlier he was carrying a stolen handgun loaded with 23 rounds of ammunition when stopped. (Reuters)

Milwaukee protest: Governor activates National Guard as one person shot, officer injured

A coalition affiliated with the anti-racism &#39;Black Lives Matter&#39; movement called for criminal justice reforms and reparations for slavery in the United States among other demands in its first policy platform released on Monday. 
 
The six demands and roughly 40 policy recommendations touch on topics range from reducing US military spending to safe drinking water. The groups aim to halt the &quot;increasingly visible violence against Black communities&quot;, the Movement for Black Lives said in a statement. 
 
The agenda was released days before the second anniversary of the slaying of unarmed African-American teen Michael Brown by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. Brown&#39;s death, along with other fatal police shootings of unarmed African-American men over the past two years, fuelled a national debate about racial discrimination in the US criminal justice system. 
 
Issues related to race and violence took centre stage at the Democratic National Convention last week, though the coalition did not endorse the party&#39;s platform or White House candidate, Hillary Clinton. 
 
&quot;We seek radical transformation, not reactionary reform,&quot; Michaela Brown, a spokeswoman for Baltimore Bloc, one of the organizations that worked on the platform, said in a statement. 
 
&quot;As the 2016 election continues, this platform provides us with a way to intervene with an agenda that resists state and corporate power, an opportunity to implement policies that truly value the safety and humanity of black lives, and an overall means to hold elected leaders accountable,&quot; Brown said. 
 
Baltimore Bloc is among more than 50 organizations that developed the platform over the past year, including Black Alliance for Just Immigration, the Black Youth Project 100 and the Black Leadership Organizing Collaborative. 
 
This is the first time these black-led organizations linked to the decentralized Black Lives Matter movement have banded together to write a comprehensive foundational policy platform. 
 
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the nation&#39;s oldest and largest civil rights organization, was not listed among them. 
 
The agenda calls for an end to the death penalty, decriminalisation of drug-related offences and prostitution, and the &quot;demilitarization&quot; of police departments. It seeks reparations for lasting harms caused to African-Americans of slavery and investment in education and jobs. 
 
The Movement for Black Lives said in a statement that &quot;neither mainstream political party has our interests at heart&quot;. 
 
&quot;By every metric &ndash; from the hue of its prison population to its investment choices &ndash; the US is a country that does not support, protect or preserve Black life,&quot; the statement said. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Coalition called for criminal justice reforms and reparations for slavery in the US among other demands in its first policy platform

A coalition affiliated with the anti-racism 'Black Lives Matter' movement called for criminal justice reforms and reparations for slavery in the United States among other demands in its first policy platform released on Monday. The six demands and roughly 40 policy recommendations touch on topics range from reducing US military spending to safe drinking water. The groups aim to halt the "increasingly visible violence against Black communities", the Movement for Black Lives said in a statement. The agenda was released days before the second anniversary of the slaying of unarmed African-American teen Michael Brown by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. Brown's death, along with other fatal police shootings of unarmed African-American men over the past two years, fuelled a national debate about racial discrimination in the US criminal justice system. Issues related to race and violence took centre stage at the Democratic National Convention last week, though the coalition did not endorse the party's platform or White House candidate, Hillary Clinton. "We seek radical transformation, not reactionary reform," Michaela Brown, a spokeswoman for Baltimore Bloc, one of the organizations that worked on the platform, said in a statement. "As the 2016 election continues, this platform provides us with a way to intervene with an agenda that resists state and corporate power, an opportunity to implement policies that truly value the safety and humanity of black lives, and an overall means to hold elected leaders accountable," Brown said. Baltimore Bloc is among more than 50 organizations that developed the platform over the past year, including Black Alliance for Just Immigration, the Black Youth Project 100 and the Black Leadership Organizing Collaborative. This is the first time these black-led organizations linked to the decentralized Black Lives Matter movement have banded together to write a comprehensive foundational policy platform. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization, was not listed among them. The agenda calls for an end to the death penalty, decriminalisation of drug-related offences and prostitution, and the "demilitarization" of police departments. It seeks reparations for lasting harms caused to African-Americans of slavery and investment in education and jobs. The Movement for Black Lives said in a statement that "neither mainstream political party has our interests at heart". "By every metric – from the hue of its prison population to its investment choices – the US is a country that does not support, protect or preserve Black life," the statement said. (Reuters)

US slavery reparations sought in first agenda by coalition linked to Black Lives Matter movement

Chilling new details about Dallas shooter Micah Johnson fleshed out a still sketchy portrait of the 25-year-old US Army reservist and Afghanistan war veteran who apparently supported black militant organisations, some classified as hate groups, and died in the standoff with police. 
 
Johnson opened fire on Thursday evening with a powerful rifle during a peaceful protest against the shooting deaths of the two men in Louisiana and Minnesota, triggering hours of chaos in the downtown section of this major Texas city. 
 
A search of his Dallas-area home turned up bomb-making materials and a manual in which he wrote about military tactics. 
 
Police now say he had been planning something big long beforehand, and that last week&#39;s deaths were a trigger. 
 
Investigators believe that &quot;the suspect had been practicing explosive detonations and that the materials were such that it was large enough to have devastating effects throughout our city and our North Texas area,&quot; Dallas police chief David Brown told CNN&#39;s &quot;State of the Union.&quot; 
 
Johnson toyed with police as he negotiated with them during a standoff after he first started shooting. 
 
&quot;We had negotiated with him for about two hours. And he just basically lied to us, playing games, laughing at us, singing, asking how many did he get and that he wanted to kill some more,&quot; Brown said. 
 
&#39;Scrawled in his own blood&#39; 
 
Johnson insisted on speaking only to a black police officer when he began negotiating, Brown said.&nbsp;He knew the route of the Dallas march, triangulating police and started taking them out with his high-caliber rifle. 
 
At one point earlier, Johnson, apparently wounded in the exchange of gunfire with police, wrote the letters &quot;RB&quot; in his own blood on a wall at the community college where he was holed up. 
 
Brown said it was not immediately clear what those letters meant.&nbsp;Sharpshooters could not get a view of Johnson as he hid behind a brick wall, so police used a bomb carried by a robot. 
 
&quot;I&#39;ll do it again if presented with the same circumstances,&quot; Brown said. 
 
 
Moving forward 
 
?The Dallas gunman was plotting a major bomb attack, authorities said on Sunday, urging calm after 200 people were arrested in a new night of protests over police violence against blacks. 
 
Anger around America over the deaths of two black men at the hands of police in recent days - the stated reason for the black Dallas gunman&#39;s deadly rampage targeting white officers - showed no signs of abating with a prominent Black Lives Matter activist among those arrested. 
 
President Barack Obama cautioned protesting Americans against casting all police as racially biased, as the White House announced he would travel to Dallas on Tuesday to address an inter-faith memorial service. 
 
&quot;If we paint police in broad brush without recognising that the vast majority of police officers are doing a really good job... then we&#39;re going to lose allies in the reform cause,&quot; he said. 
 
The past week&#39;s violence - the black deaths, and then Dallas - have shocked a country seemingly inured to its epidemic of gun violence and injected new urgency into the national debate on race relations and how white police forces deal with black suspects. 
 
&quot;The best way to honour the memory of Alton Sterling, the Dallas law enforcement officers and Philando Castile is to protect the people here,&quot; Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards said, referring to those killed in recent days. 
 
Protesters will not be &quot;allowed to incite hate and violence, to engage in unlawful activities,&quot; he added. 
 
People inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement - which arose in response to police using lethal force against unarmed blacks - took to the streets in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in largely peaceful protests. 
 
Authorities said a full-scale riot broke out in Saint Paul, Minnesota and resulted in 102 arrests. Protesters blocked a freeway and attacked police with rocks, bottles, fireworks, Molotov cocktails and metal bars. 
 
Twenty-one officers were injured in the hours-long melee, one of them when a rioter dropped an 11-kilogram chunk of concrete on his head from a bridge or overpass, police spokesman Steve Linders said. 
 
It was in a Saint Paul suburb that one of last week&#39;s deaths occurred. 
 
In Baton Rouge, where the other death took place, one officer was injured and 102 protesters were also arrested, Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said. Among them was activist leader DeRay McKesson, who livestreamed the incident. He was released on bond on Sunday. 
 
&quot;The only people that were violent last night were the Baton Rouge police department,&quot; McKesson told reporters outside the jailhouse. &quot;The protesters remain peaceful both here and across the country.&quot; 
 
Both killings were caught on horrific video that has since gone viral. 
 
Another death 
 
In another similar case gaining attention on social media, a black man was shot dead by police on Saturday in Houston, the largest city in Texas. 
 
City police said that Alva Braziel was carrying a gun, and was believed to have pointed it at officers, but in surveillance footage from a nearby gas station, he appears to put his hands up and turn around. 
 
More than 500 people have died from US police bullets so far in 2016, according to data compiled by The Washington Post. 
 
 
(AFP)

A search of Micah's Dallas-area home turned up bomb-making materials. Investigators say he had been practicing explosive detonations

Chilling new details about Dallas shooter Micah Johnson fleshed out a still sketchy portrait of the 25-year-old US Army reservist and Afghanistan war veteran who apparently supported black militant organisations, some classified as hate groups, and died in the standoff with police. Johnson opened fire on Thursday evening with a powerful rifle during a peaceful protest against the shooting deaths of the two men in Louisiana and Minnesota, triggering hours of chaos in the downtown section of this major Texas city. A search of his Dallas-area home turned up bomb-making materials and a manual in which he wrote about military tactics. Police now say he had been planning something big long beforehand, and that last week's deaths were a trigger. Investigators believe that "the suspect had been practicing explosive detonations and that the materials were such that it was large enough to have devastating effects throughout our city and our North Texas area," Dallas police chief David Brown told CNN's "State of the Union." Johnson toyed with police as he negotiated with them during a standoff after he first started shooting. "We had negotiated with him for about two hours. And he just basically lied to us, playing games, laughing at us, singing, asking how many did he get and that he wanted to kill some more," Brown said. 'Scrawled in his own blood' Johnson insisted on speaking only to a black police officer when he began negotiating, Brown said. He knew the route of the Dallas march, triangulating police and started taking them out with his high-caliber rifle. At one point earlier, Johnson, apparently wounded in the exchange of gunfire with police, wrote the letters "RB" in his own blood on a wall at the community college where he was holed up. Brown said it was not immediately clear what those letters meant. Sharpshooters could not get a view of Johnson as he hid behind a brick wall, so police used a bomb carried by a robot. "I'll do it again if presented with the same circumstances," Brown said. Moving forward ?The Dallas gunman was plotting a major bomb attack, authorities said on Sunday, urging calm after 200 people were arrested in a new night of protests over police violence against blacks. Anger around America over the deaths of two black men at the hands of police in recent days - the stated reason for the black Dallas gunman's deadly rampage targeting white officers - showed no signs of abating with a prominent Black Lives Matter activist among those arrested. President Barack Obama cautioned protesting Americans against casting all police as racially biased, as the White House announced he would travel to Dallas on Tuesday to address an inter-faith memorial service. "If we paint police in broad brush without recognising that the vast majority of police officers are doing a really good job... then we're going to lose allies in the reform cause," he said. The past week's violence - the black deaths, and then Dallas - have shocked a country seemingly inured to its epidemic of gun violence and injected new urgency into the national debate on race relations and how white police forces deal with black suspects. "The best way to honour the memory of Alton Sterling, the Dallas law enforcement officers and Philando Castile is to protect the people here," Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards said, referring to those killed in recent days. Protesters will not be "allowed to incite hate and violence, to engage in unlawful activities," he added. People inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement - which arose in response to police using lethal force against unarmed blacks - took to the streets in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in largely peaceful protests. Authorities said a full-scale riot broke out in Saint Paul, Minnesota and resulted in 102 arrests. Protesters blocked a freeway and attacked police with rocks, bottles, fireworks, Molotov cocktails and metal bars. Twenty-one officers were injured in the hours-long melee, one of them when a rioter dropped an 11-kilogram chunk of concrete on his head from a bridge or overpass, police spokesman Steve Linders said. It was in a Saint Paul suburb that one of last week's deaths occurred. In Baton Rouge, where the other death took place, one officer was injured and 102 protesters were also arrested, Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said. Among them was activist leader DeRay McKesson, who livestreamed the incident. He was released on bond on Sunday. "The only people that were violent last night were the Baton Rouge police department," McKesson told reporters outside the jailhouse. "The protesters remain peaceful both here and across the country." Both killings were caught on horrific video that has since gone viral. Another death In another similar case gaining attention on social media, a black man was shot dead by police on Saturday in Houston, the largest city in Texas. City police said that Alva Braziel was carrying a gun, and was believed to have pointed it at officers, but in surveillance footage from a nearby gas station, he appears to put his hands up and turn around. More than 500 people have died from US police bullets so far in 2016, according to data compiled by The Washington Post. (AFP)

Dallas shooter planned larger attacks

Thousands of protesters took to the streets in US cities on Friday after a black extremist shot dead five cops in Texas during an otherwise peaceful march against police brutality.&nbsp;Five officers were shot dead in the late Thursday shooting, with seven other officers and two civilians wounded. 
 
The shooting revives an emotional debate over lethal use of force by police, and problems of alleged police bias towards racial minorities, especially African-Americans. 
 
Leaders of the Black Lives Matter protest movement condemned the Dallas violence, but vowed to uphold planned weekend marches.&nbsp;Vast crowds marched Friday in US cities including Houston, New Orleans, Detroit, Baltimore, and San Francisco. One of the largest was in Atlanta, where protesters blocked a major road. 
 
In Phoenix, police in riot gear used pepper spray to disperse a large crowd blocking streets after rocks were hurled at them. At least one person was arrested.&nbsp;Addressing a prayer service honoring the fallen officers, Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings urged Americans to &quot;step up&quot; to heal the country&#39;s racial wounds. 
 
&quot;We will not shy away from the very real fact that we as a city, as a state, as a nation are struggling with racial issues,&quot; he told the crowd. 
 
Rawlings echoed Obama&#39;s message that black lives matter -- and so do &quot;blue&quot; lives, those of police officers.&nbsp;&quot;We must step up our game and approach complicated issues in a different way,&quot; Rawlings said. &quot;And race is complicated.&quot; 
 
&#39;This must stop&#39; 
&nbsp; 
Obama, who ordered flags on government buildings lowered to half-mast for five days, said that there was &quot;no possible justification&quot; for violence against police. 
 
The Dallas shootings sparked chaos as people ran for their lives during a march by several hundred demonstrators in the city of 1.2 million, near the site where president John F Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. 
 
The peaceful protest was one of several nationwide over the deaths of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota that prompted Obama to make an emotional appeal for urgent police reform. 
 
The ambush marks the single biggest loss of life for law enforcement in the United States since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.&nbsp;&quot;This must stop -- this divisiveness between our police and our citizens,&quot; Dallas police chief David Brown said. 
 
&#39;Every rabbit trail&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Johnson was killed in a tense showdown with police in a parking garage, by a bomb robot sent in by officers after hours of negotiations and an exchange of fire. 
 
&quot;This was a well-planned, well-thought out, evil strategy,&quot; said Brown of the gunman.&nbsp;&quot;He said he was upset about the recent police shootings,&quot; Brown said. &quot;The suspect said he was upset at white people. The suspect stated he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers.&quot; 
 
Earlier, officials said three other people had been detained, but it was unclear if any remained in custody.&nbsp;US homeland security secretary Jeh Johnson said the gunman appeared to have acted alone. 
 
Texas governor Greg Abbott said police would &quot;continue down every rabbit trail... ensuring that we eliminate any other possible suspects or co-conspirators who may have aided this gunman in any way.&quot; 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

It has revived the debate over lethal use of force by cops and systemic bias towards racial minorities, especially African-Americans

Thousands of protesters took to the streets in US cities on Friday after a black extremist shot dead five cops in Texas during an otherwise peaceful march against police brutality. Five officers were shot dead in the late Thursday shooting, with seven other officers and two civilians wounded. The shooting revives an emotional debate over lethal use of force by police, and problems of alleged police bias towards racial minorities, especially African-Americans. Leaders of the Black Lives Matter protest movement condemned the Dallas violence, but vowed to uphold planned weekend marches. Vast crowds marched Friday in US cities including Houston, New Orleans, Detroit, Baltimore, and San Francisco. One of the largest was in Atlanta, where protesters blocked a major road. In Phoenix, police in riot gear used pepper spray to disperse a large crowd blocking streets after rocks were hurled at them. At least one person was arrested. Addressing a prayer service honoring the fallen officers, Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings urged Americans to "step up" to heal the country's racial wounds. "We will not shy away from the very real fact that we as a city, as a state, as a nation are struggling with racial issues," he told the crowd. Rawlings echoed Obama's message that black lives matter -- and so do "blue" lives, those of police officers. "We must step up our game and approach complicated issues in a different way," Rawlings said. "And race is complicated." 'This must stop' Obama, who ordered flags on government buildings lowered to half-mast for five days, said that there was "no possible justification" for violence against police. The Dallas shootings sparked chaos as people ran for their lives during a march by several hundred demonstrators in the city of 1.2 million, near the site where president John F Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. The peaceful protest was one of several nationwide over the deaths of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota that prompted Obama to make an emotional appeal for urgent police reform. The ambush marks the single biggest loss of life for law enforcement in the United States since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. "This must stop -- this divisiveness between our police and our citizens," Dallas police chief David Brown said. 'Every rabbit trail' Johnson was killed in a tense showdown with police in a parking garage, by a bomb robot sent in by officers after hours of negotiations and an exchange of fire. "This was a well-planned, well-thought out, evil strategy," said Brown of the gunman. "He said he was upset about the recent police shootings," Brown said. "The suspect said he was upset at white people. The suspect stated he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers." Earlier, officials said three other people had been detained, but it was unclear if any remained in custody. US homeland security secretary Jeh Johnson said the gunman appeared to have acted alone. Texas governor Greg Abbott said police would "continue down every rabbit trail... ensuring that we eliminate any other possible suspects or co-conspirators who may have aided this gunman in any way." (AFP)

Protests in US cities as Dallas shooting rocks race relations

The fiancee of a&nbsp;black&nbsp;man&nbsp;fatally shot by police in Minnesota after a traffic stop told reporters today&nbsp;that the officers on the scene never checked the&nbsp;man&#39;s pulse after the shooting and handcuffed her.

Diamond Reynolds, who broadcast the bloody aftermath of Philando Castile&#39;s shooting, said the officers involved did not perform first aid on him and that she and her daughter were questioned separately by police.

&quot;I was treated like a criminal,&quot; Reynolds told reporters outside the Minnesota state house. &quot;I was treated like I was the one that did this. They were very racist towards me. They treated me like this was my fault.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

'I was treated like a criminal. I was treated like I was the one that did this,' she said

The fiancee of a black man fatally shot by police in Minnesota after a traffic stop told reporters today that the officers on the scene never checked the man's pulse after the shooting and handcuffed her. Diamond Reynolds, who broadcast the bloody aftermath of Philando Castile's shooting, said the officers involved did not perform first aid on him and that she and her daughter were questioned separately by police. "I was treated like a criminal," Reynolds told reporters outside the Minnesota state house. "I was treated like I was the one that did this. They were very racist towards me. They treated me like this was my fault." (Reuters)

Fiancee of black man slain by police says she was handcuffed after shooting

<p data-label="Package" data-reactid=".1.0.1.0.1.2.$tag=2reuters=1com,2016=2newsml_KCN0ZN0MJ=21.1.0.0.0.0" data-text="Minneapolis area police fatally shoot black man during traffic stop" dir="auto" title="Minneapolis area police fatally shoot black man during traffic stop">A black motorist was shot at close range by a Minnesota cop and seen bleeding to death in a graphic video shot by his girlfriend that went viral Thursday, the second fatal police shooting to rock America in as many days. 
 
The governor of the northern US state asked the White House to order a federal probe into Wednesday night&#39;s shooting in Falcon Heights, near Minneapolis, as calls mounted for justice for the 32-year-old victim Philando Castile. 
 
A four-year-old girl witnessed the shooting from the back seat of the car, as her mother -- Castile&#39;s girlfriend -- live-streamed the bloody aftermath while an officer pointed his gun through the window. 
 
Speaking to reporters outside the governor&#39;s mansion in St. Paul, after a night in police custody, Diamond Reynolds repeated what she asserted in the shock footage: that Castile was shot &quot;for no reason.&quot; 
 
&quot;Not one shot. Not two shots. Not three shots. Not four shots. But five shots,&quot; she said in a forceful appeal for justice to be served. 
 
Pulled over for a broken tail light, Castile informed the officer he was carrying a licensed gun, Reynolds said, and was shot as he reached for his license and registration. 
 
She said the officer, whom she described as an Asian male, made conflicting demands of Castile -- both that he keep his hands in the air and that he identify himself. 
 
&quot;Nothing within his body language said intimidation. Nothing within his body said, &#39;Shoot me.&#39; Nothing within his language said, &#39;Kill me I want to be dead.&quot; 
 
- &#39;Cover their butts&#39; - 
Reynolds said her phone had been seized as evidence and voiced fear of a police cover-up. 
 
&quot;They&#39;re gonna tamper with evidence,&quot; she told reporters. &quot;They&#39;re gonna do whatever they have to do to cover their butts.&quot; 
 
But Governor Mark Dayton pledged to push for a full and independent inquiry by the Department of Justice -- which is already investigating the police shooting of a black man caught on video two days earlier in Louisiana. 
 
&quot;Justice will be served in Minnesota,&quot; Dayton said. 
 
America&#39;s debate on police use of lethal force, especially against young black men, was set to hit fever pitch as a fourth officer went on trial Thursday in one of the highest-profile such cases of recent years. 
 
Three officers so far have escaped conviction in the case of Freddie Gray, a young black man who died last year in Baltimore after suffering spinal injuries in the back of a police van. 
 
On Tuesday this week, a black father of five, 37-year-old Alton Sterling, was pinned to the ground and shot several times at point blank range in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, prompting the launch of a federal civil rights probe. 
 
Shocked family members demanded justice for Castile, a school cafeteria worker, whose mother described him as a law-abiding citizen who kept out of trouble. 
 
&quot;I think he was just black in the wrong place,&quot; Valerie Castile told CNN. &quot;Every day you hear of another black person being shot down, gunned down by the people that are supposed to protect us.&quot; 
 
&quot;We&#39;re being hunted every day. It&#39;s a silent war against African-American people as a whole,&quot; Castile said. 
 
- Ten-minute video - 
In a 10-minute video with more than three million views after it was streamed live on Facebook, Reynolds -- clearly in shock -- methodically narrates the shooting incident as an officer trains his weapon on her. 
 
In the background, an officer is heard shouting: &quot;I told him not to reach for it. I told him to get his hands up.&quot; 
 
Reynolds starts wailing as it becomes clear Castile is dying. Castile can be seen in the driver seat, large blood stains spreading through his white shirt. He was later taken to hospital and pronounced dead. 
 
&quot;They didn&#39;t let me see my son&#39;s body, at all,&quot; Valerie Castile told CNN. 
 
In both the Minnesota and Louisiana cases, the victims had a gun in their possession, though there is no indication they pointed their weapon at police at any time. 
 
In Sterling&#39;s case, police said they intervened after an anonymous caller told police they had been threatened by a man with a gun. Sterling&#39;s family lawyer said he was merely selling CDs outside a convenience store, with the permission of its owner. 
 
A peaceful crowd of about 100 people kept vigil through the night outside the Baton Rouge store, where a mural has been painted in his honor. 
 
Officials appealed for calm after protesters took to the streets in the aftermath of Tuesday&#39;s shooting, and have promised a fully transparent probe led by federal civil rights investigators. 
 
The two officers involved in the Sterling case have been placed on administrative leave. 
 
(AFP)

A four-year-old girl witnessed the shooting from the back seat of the car

A black motorist was shot at close range by a Minnesota cop and seen bleeding to death in a graphic video shot by his girlfriend that went viral Thursday, the second fatal police shooting to rock America in as many days. The governor of the northern US state asked the White House to order a federal probe into Wednesday night's shooting in Falcon Heights, near Minneapolis, as calls mounted for justice for the 32-year-old victim Philando Castile. A four-year-old girl witnessed the shooting from the back seat of the car, as her mother -- Castile's girlfriend -- live-streamed the bloody aftermath while an officer pointed his gun through the window. Speaking to reporters outside the governor's mansion in St. Paul, after a night in police custody, Diamond Reynolds repeated what she asserted in the shock footage: that Castile was shot "for no reason." "Not one shot. Not two shots. Not three shots. Not four shots. But five shots," she said in a forceful appeal for justice to be served. Pulled over for a broken tail light, Castile informed the officer he was carrying a licensed gun, Reynolds said, and was shot as he reached for his license and registration. She said the officer, whom she described as an Asian male, made conflicting demands of Castile -- both that he keep his hands in the air and that he identify himself. "Nothing within his body language said intimidation. Nothing within his body said, 'Shoot me.' Nothing within his language said, 'Kill me I want to be dead." - 'Cover their butts' - Reynolds said her phone had been seized as evidence and voiced fear of a police cover-up. "They're gonna tamper with evidence," she told reporters. "They're gonna do whatever they have to do to cover their butts." But Governor Mark Dayton pledged to push for a full and independent inquiry by the Department of Justice -- which is already investigating the police shooting of a black man caught on video two days earlier in Louisiana. "Justice will be served in Minnesota," Dayton said. America's debate on police use of lethal force, especially against young black men, was set to hit fever pitch as a fourth officer went on trial Thursday in one of the highest-profile such cases of recent years. Three officers so far have escaped conviction in the case of Freddie Gray, a young black man who died last year in Baltimore after suffering spinal injuries in the back of a police van. On Tuesday this week, a black father of five, 37-year-old Alton Sterling, was pinned to the ground and shot several times at point blank range in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, prompting the launch of a federal civil rights probe. Shocked family members demanded justice for Castile, a school cafeteria worker, whose mother described him as a law-abiding citizen who kept out of trouble. "I think he was just black in the wrong place," Valerie Castile told CNN. "Every day you hear of another black person being shot down, gunned down by the people that are supposed to protect us." "We're being hunted every day. It's a silent war against African-American people as a whole," Castile said. - Ten-minute video - In a 10-minute video with more than three million views after it was streamed live on Facebook, Reynolds -- clearly in shock -- methodically narrates the shooting incident as an officer trains his weapon on her. In the background, an officer is heard shouting: "I told him not to reach for it. I told him to get his hands up." Reynolds starts wailing as it becomes clear Castile is dying. Castile can be seen in the driver seat, large blood stains spreading through his white shirt. He was later taken to hospital and pronounced dead. "They didn't let me see my son's body, at all," Valerie Castile told CNN. In both the Minnesota and Louisiana cases, the victims had a gun in their possession, though there is no indication they pointed their weapon at police at any time. In Sterling's case, police said they intervened after an anonymous caller told police they had been threatened by a man with a gun. Sterling's family lawyer said he was merely selling CDs outside a convenience store, with the permission of its owner. A peaceful crowd of about 100 people kept vigil through the night outside the Baton Rouge store, where a mural has been painted in his honor. Officials appealed for calm after protesters took to the streets in the aftermath of Tuesday's shooting, and have promised a fully transparent probe led by federal civil rights investigators. The two officers involved in the Sterling case have been placed on administrative leave. (AFP)

Minnesota police shoot black motorist at close range, second such shooting in as many days

Louisiana police have shot and killed a black man selling CDs outside a convenience store, triggering protests over the latest in a string of cases of alleged police brutality against black suspects. 
 
A video shot by a witness and circulated online showed two officers ordering a tall black man to the ground early Tuesday. 
 
As he remained standing, the officers wrestled him onto the roof of a car and then to the ground. While he was pinned down by the officers, one pulled a gun and shot him four times at close range. 
 
&quot;They shot him? Oh my fucking goodness!&quot; a witness can be heard as exclaiming in the background of the video. 
 
At least one woman can be heard wailing and repeating &quot;Oh my God!&quot; 
 
Police in the state&#39;s capital Baton Rouge identified the man as Alton Sterling, 37, saying two officers &quot;made contact&quot; with him in the parking lot of the convenience store. 
 
The shooting took place at 12:35 am (0435 GMT) Tuesday after police received a tip from an anonymous caller saying they had been threatened by a man with a gun, according to a police statement. 
 
&quot;An altercation between Sterling and the officers ensued. Sterling was shot during the altercation and died at the scene,&quot; police said on Facebook. 
 
They said that in accordance with &quot;standard procedure,&quot; the two officers involved in the shooting had been placed on administrative leave during the ongoing investigation. 
 
The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner&#39;s Office said Sterling was killed by multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and back, WAFB television reported. 
 
News reports said the officers were wearing body cameras, which police said fell off during the confrontation. 
 
However, in addition to the witness video, the shooting was captured by the store&#39;s surveillance camera and at least one patrol car dashboard camera, state representative C. Denise Marcelle told news media after being briefed by the police chief. 
 
About 100 people, including friends and relatives of Sterling, protested outside the convenience store after shooting, some blocking roads, The Advocate newspaper reported. 
 
Holding up handmade signs, they chanted: &quot;Black lives matter&quot; and &quot;Hands up, don&#39;t shoot.&quot; 
 
&quot;Justice for Alton&quot; and &quot;Justice 4 CD Man&quot; read some of the signs. 
 
&quot;What I said to the (police) chief is he has to have transparency in this matter because as you can see, this is getting out of hand. People are clearly upset and they want transparency,&quot; Marcelle said. 
 
&#39;Legal lynching&#39; 
 
Edmond Jordan, an attorney representing Sterling&#39;s family, said the shooting was completely unjustified. 
 
&quot;That police officer fired two shots and he seemed to pause for a while and shot him two more times. I don&#39;t think any of those shots were justified, but I&#39;m curious as to why he paused for such a long time and then fired two more times,&quot; he told CNN. 
 
Jordan, who is also a state legislator, added that Sterling was selling CDs with the permission of the convenience store owner. 
 
Triple S store owner Abdullah Muflahi told The Advocate that he witnessed police retrieving a gun from Sterling&#39;s pocket after the shooting, although Sterling did not hold a weapon during the altercation. 
 
&quot;They were really aggressive with him from the start,&quot; Muflahi said about the police officers, adding that they were &quot;freaking out&quot; after the incident. 
 
Muflahi said he heard one of the officers say: &quot;Just leave him.&quot; 
 
Civil rights group Black Lives Matter, which was referenced by many protesters in Louisiana, tweeted: &quot;Enough is enough. #AltonSterling.&quot; 
 
African American civil rights leader Jesse Jackson also expressed outrage over the shooting today. 
 
&quot;The shooting of #AltonSterling in #BatonRouge is a legal lynching. Justice must prevail. #Outraged,&quot; Jackson wrote on Twitter. 
 
(AFP)

The shooting took place after police were tipped off by an anonymous caller saying they had been threatened by a man with a gun

Louisiana police have shot and killed a black man selling CDs outside a convenience store, triggering protests over the latest in a string of cases of alleged police brutality against black suspects. A video shot by a witness and circulated online showed two officers ordering a tall black man to the ground early Tuesday. As he remained standing, the officers wrestled him onto the roof of a car and then to the ground. While he was pinned down by the officers, one pulled a gun and shot him four times at close range. "They shot him? Oh my fucking goodness!" a witness can be heard as exclaiming in the background of the video. At least one woman can be heard wailing and repeating "Oh my God!" Police in the state's capital Baton Rouge identified the man as Alton Sterling, 37, saying two officers "made contact" with him in the parking lot of the convenience store. The shooting took place at 12:35 am (0435 GMT) Tuesday after police received a tip from an anonymous caller saying they had been threatened by a man with a gun, according to a police statement. "An altercation between Sterling and the officers ensued. Sterling was shot during the altercation and died at the scene," police said on Facebook. They said that in accordance with "standard procedure," the two officers involved in the shooting had been placed on administrative leave during the ongoing investigation. The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner's Office said Sterling was killed by multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and back, WAFB television reported. News reports said the officers were wearing body cameras, which police said fell off during the confrontation. However, in addition to the witness video, the shooting was captured by the store's surveillance camera and at least one patrol car dashboard camera, state representative C. Denise Marcelle told news media after being briefed by the police chief. About 100 people, including friends and relatives of Sterling, protested outside the convenience store after shooting, some blocking roads, The Advocate newspaper reported. Holding up handmade signs, they chanted: "Black lives matter" and "Hands up, don't shoot." "Justice for Alton" and "Justice 4 CD Man" read some of the signs. "What I said to the (police) chief is he has to have transparency in this matter because as you can see, this is getting out of hand. People are clearly upset and they want transparency," Marcelle said. 'Legal lynching' Edmond Jordan, an attorney representing Sterling's family, said the shooting was completely unjustified. "That police officer fired two shots and he seemed to pause for a while and shot him two more times. I don't think any of those shots were justified, but I'm curious as to why he paused for such a long time and then fired two more times," he told CNN. Jordan, who is also a state legislator, added that Sterling was selling CDs with the permission of the convenience store owner. Triple S store owner Abdullah Muflahi told The Advocate that he witnessed police retrieving a gun from Sterling's pocket after the shooting, although Sterling did not hold a weapon during the altercation. "They were really aggressive with him from the start," Muflahi said about the police officers, adding that they were "freaking out" after the incident. Muflahi said he heard one of the officers say: "Just leave him." Civil rights group Black Lives Matter, which was referenced by many protesters in Louisiana, tweeted: "Enough is enough. #AltonSterling." African American civil rights leader Jesse Jackson also expressed outrage over the shooting today. "The shooting of #AltonSterling in #BatonRouge is a legal lynching. Justice must prevail. #Outraged," Jackson wrote on Twitter. (AFP)

Video shows Louisiana cops holding black man down, shooting him point-blank 4 times

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