US Police Officers Kneel in Protest of Black Deaths... "Joining the Demonstration"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Some police officers are joining protests against the death of Black man George Floyd, who died during a forceful arrest by a white police officer. Across the United States, including New York, police officers have been seen kneeling with protesters to mourn Floyd.

According to CNN and other outlets on the 31st of last month (local time), during a protest held in Queens, New York, police officers from the New York Police Department (NYPD) were seen kneeling on one knee alongside protesters to honor Floyd, a scene that has spread widely on social networking services (SNS).

In the video, the kneeling officers first knelt down in front of the marching protesters. They maintained this posture while the protesters chanted the names of Floyd and other Black individuals who died unjustly at the hands of police, including Walter Lamar Scott, who was shot while unarmed in 2015.

Alia Abraham, who posted the video, said, "I never expected (the officers to kneel)," adding, "It's something I have never seen in years of activism or on TV." She continued, "It's a good start but not enough," and added, "I would be more impressed if we were not being stopped and shot down."

The day before, some police officers in Florida also knelt with protesters. Additionally, in Ferguson, Missouri, police officers were seen kneeling alongside protesters to protest Floyd's death. Among the kneeling officers was the Ferguson police chief.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump, in response to the nationwide spread of protests, labeled the protest leaders as "radical leftists" and announced plans to designate "Antifa" as a terrorist organization. He stated, "Cities and states led by Democrats need to look at the complete suppression of radical left anarchists in Minneapolis last night. The National Guard did a great job," urging other states to deploy the National Guard before it is too late.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.