Voices
Getting Real About the Job of Police: A Letter to Barack Obama
Obama’s initial remarks on the killing of George Floyd reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of the role police play in U.S. society.
Protests for Black Lives
The murder of George Floyd mobilized the Movement for Black Lives and inspired a national reckoning with police violence and impunity.
Voices
Trump’s Threats to Antifa Are an Affront to Black Agency and a Risk to All Protest
Liberal voices claiming to support racial justice and oppose Trump have offered support for the pernicious “outside agitator” narrative.
New York Police Are Attacking Protesters — They Know They Won’t Face Consequences
The NYPD has long been shielded from accountability. This week’s violent response to protesters exposed the extent of the department’s culture of impunity.
Minneapolis Police Union President: “I’ve Been Involved in Three Shootings Myself, and Not a One of Them Has Bothered Me”
In April, Lt. Bob Kroll said that more than half of his board “have been involved in armed encounters.”
Trump Boosts Video of Dallas Clash Edited to Cast Machete-Wielding Vigilante as Victim
A right-wing video blogger captured a shocking act of violence on camera, but posted a misleadingly edited version on Twitter that duped the president.
As Police Attack Protesters in Minneapolis, Speculations About “Outsiders” Draw on Fraught History
Residents say the anger in the protests is mostly directed at the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, but some worry the focus is getting lost.
The George Floyd Killing in Minneapolis Exposes the Failures of Police Reform
As protests engulf Minneapolis after yet another police killing, advocates across the country say the time for police reform is over.
Racist History Behind Trump's Threat to Shoot Minneapolis Protesters Spurs Twitter to Act
Donald Trump's bloodthirsty threat to have protesters in Minneapolis shot echoed the words used by a racist Miami police chief in the 1960s.