Justice for George Floyd, help Minneapolis, Minnesota
Hi everyone,
Mod Colette here of WritingwithColor. I live in the heart of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Just when you thought coronavirus was enough…
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On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by police in my city.
He was a 46-year old Black man, handcuffed, unarmed and complying. White police officer, Derek Chauvin, murdered Mr. Floyd.
EX officer Chauvin was arrested on May 29, 2020. He’s been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. There’s no charges yet against his accomplices, the 3 other officers that held Floyd down while Chauvin kept his knee on his neck for 9 minutes. They ignored his pleas, and the pleas from onlookers begging Chauvin to stop.
“I can’t breathe.”
“They’re gonna kill me.”
“Mama!”
“Please—”
The Protests
There are several protests every day. Those who oppose us have run over protesters, including a semi truck. A Black Latino CNN reporter was arrested, even though he identified himself; his white co-worker not too far away was not arrested after he identified himself. This is a small sample; the incidents are endless.
Police reacted to peaceful marching with tear-gas and rubber bullets. This is in strong contrast to their reaction the other week, when heavily armed white people came to protest the covid-19 lockdown.
Opportunists have taken advantage of the crowds to loot, destroy, and cause chaos.
This behavior is a consequence of robbing Black people of their lives. Society has been enslaving, assaulting, robbing, oppressing, and killing Black people for hundreds upon hundreds of years. Property is not as important as people. People cannot be replaced.
On the other hand, this has moved far beyond looting and tagging stores.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said “We are now confronting white supremacists, members of organized crime, out of state instigators, and possibly even foreign actors to destroy and destabilize our city and our region.”
It is true and is confirmed. Groups of majority white people are strategically burning down PoC-owned businesses, libraries, groceries in food deserts, pharmacies. They’re attempting to burn apartment complexes and homes.
These people are not a part of the movement.
I am not sleeping. I am watching. Watching my fellow Minnesotans protest, get tear-gassed, and keep getting back up to scream out George’s name.
I’m watching my community get together every day to rebuild, clean, and feed those in need. And then every night, guarding our streets from people who, again, don’t live here and do not care about George Floyd or justice.
As a Black woman in America, i’m scared. And I am not sleeping.
Please stay awake with me, with us, and help.
-Mod Colette, WWC
How to Help
Help from your home. Donate.
Those in other areas affected, please share your experiences and links to help and donate! And if anyone needs to talk, I am here. See my personal blog. (LastAutumnMaiden)
We Love Lake Street https://www.welovelakestreet.com/ focus of much of the protest and damage is here. A highly diverse community of many Black, Latin and Native people and businesses.
MN Freedom Fund https://minnesotafreedomfund.org/donate
Local Library Equity Fund https://www.supporthclib.org/justice-for-all?fbclid=IwAR2nl-LytFRpe0BdeVGrDVnoSjFzdRUK3RkiGAK-hhv_Fx46Q-TX2V7HirI (libraries have been burned and continuous burning attempts)
Black Lives Matter https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
Google Doc of Organizations link here
More Places Listed https://mothpoem.tumblr.com/post/619400431988342784/so-direct-action-is-not-an-option-available-to
