A wave of police killings of young black men in 2014 prompted 24 states to quickly pass some type of law enforcement reform, but many declined to address the most glaring issue: police use of force. Six years later, only about a third of states have passed laws on the question. The issue is at […]
Posted inElection Central
Trump tries religious gestures to hike support amid protests
Cloaking himself in religion for the second day in a row, President Donald Trump sought to seize the moral authority to justify his hard line against demonstrators protesting the killing of another black man in police custody and at the same time mobilize his religious conservative base. Trump signed an executive order on international religious freedom on […]
Posted inElection Central
GOP senators offer rare rebuke of Trump on church visit
A handful of GOP senators spoke out Tuesday against President Donald Trump, criticizing his visit to a church after police removed peaceful demonstrators from a park near the White House. The remarks came even as most Republicans continued to avoid any disapproval of the president. In a memorable scene captured live on television, police cleared […]
Posted inFeatured Stories
The US national security adviser says there’s no systemic racism in policing. Studies suggest otherwise.
When a Trump administration official said he doesn’t think systemic racism exists in policing, many were stunned — especially after studies have shown different races are often treated differently. “No, I don’t think there’s systemic racism,” national security adviser Robert O’Brien told CNN. “I think 99.9% of our law enforcement officers are great Americans. Many […]
Posted inElection Central
Trump says GOP forced to find new state to host convention as North Carolina stands by coronavirus measures
President Donald Trump will not accept the 2020 Republican nomination in Charlotte, three Republican officials told CNN on Thursday. The Republican National Committee, because of contractual agreements, will still be required to hold some formal portion of the convention in Charlotte. But the performative aspects of the convention, including the President’s speech, will happen in […]
Posted inColumns/Op-Eds
Ex-police chief: What’s the plan now, America?
I am a black American man who has been privileged to serve in law enforcement for 40 years. Today, if a young person of color asks me what they should do if a police officer stops them, I answer: Put your hands on the steering wheel where they can be seen, cooperate and comply. And […]
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Six Atlanta police officers charged after using excessive force
Tuesday afternoon, arrest warrants have been issued for Atlanta Police Department officers Lonnie Hood, Willie Sauls, Ivory Streeter, Mark Gardner, Armond Jones and Roland Claud. Some of the charges against the officers include aggravated assault of Messiah Young, aggravated assault of Taniyah Pilgrim, simple battery and criminal damage to property. Sunday afternoon, APD Chief Erika […]
Posted inWorld News
Tensions rise as Floyd protests and racial unrest travel worldwide
Tear gas choked Paris streets as riot police faced off with protesters setting fires Tuesday amid growing global outrage over George Floyd’s death in the United States, racial injustice and heavy-handed police tactics around the world. French protesters took a knee and raised their fists while firefighters struggled to extinguish multiple blazes as a largely […]
Posted inEntertainment
Spike Lee on what’s different about these protests
It’s not the first time that Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” has been freshly urgent, but Lee’s 1989 film has again found blistering relevance in the wake of George Floyd’s death. On Monday, Lee released a short film titled “3 Brothers” connecting the death of Radio Raheem (played by Bill Nunn) in “Do the Right Thing” […]
Posted inFeatured Stories
An emotional Gov. Newsom talks privilege, race amid protests
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s four young children thrust a cell phone into his face as he got out of his car, demanding he watch a video of a black man pleading with a white police officer in Minnesota to take his knee off his neck so he could breathe. Newsom’s 10-year old daughter Montana said […]
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Louisville police chief fired in aftermath of fatal shooting
Louisville’s police chief was fired Monday after the mayor learned that officers involved in a shooting that killed the popular owner of a barbecue spot failed to activate body cameras during the chaotic scene. A huge group marched hours later to the spot in a peaceful protest. David McAtee, known for offering meals to police […]
Posted inElection Central
Biden sharpens contrast with Trump: ‘I won’t traffic in fear and division’
Joe Biden issued a blistering condemnation of President Donald Trump on Tuesday and pledged to offer a break from the “selfishness and fear” that he said have marked Trump’s tenure in office and response to protests against racism and police brutality. In a speech in Philadelphia, the presumptive Democratic 2020 presidential nominee addressed systemic racism […]
Posted inExecutives
There are just four black CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. Here’s how they are addressing the death of George Floyd
Just four black CEOs run Fortune 500 companies in America, and they are speaking out about racial inequality following the death of George Floyd. That’s four black leaders among the largest 500 companies in the United States: Marvin Ellison of Lowe’s, Kenneth Frazier of Merck, Roger Ferguson of TIAA, and Jide Zeitlin of Tapestry. ‘This […]
Posted inElection Central
White supremacists pose as Antifa online, call for violence
A Twitter account that tweeted a call to violence and claimed to be representing the position of “Antifa” was in fact created by a known white supremacist group, Twitter said Monday. The company removed the account. Before it emerged the account was run by white supremacists, Donald Trump Jr., President Donald Trump’s son, pointed his […]
Posted inEntertainment
Music industry leaders vow to pause business for a day in observation of Blackout Tuesday
The show will be paused. At least, that’s the message coming from leaders and artists in the music business as part of a movement being referred to as Blackout Tuesday. Music executives Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang spearheaded the effort to shutter normal business operations on June 2 via their #theshowmustbepaused initiative. A Twitter account […]