Nationwide protests call for police reform

The WYP panel discusses the protests peaceful and violent outbreaks this week and the need for police reform.

Houston - What's Your Point host Greg Groogan leads the panel in a discussion about the protests across America this week in reaction to the murder of George Floyd. This week's panel includes Charles Blain, founder of Urban Reform, Bob Price, Associate Editor Breitbart Texas, Professor Craig Jackson, Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University, Tomaro Bell, Superneighborhood leader and Antonio Diaz, writer, educator and host of Latino Politics and News.

WASHINGTON (AP) Saturday, June 6 — Massive protests against police brutality nationwide capped a week that began in chaos but ended with largely peaceful expressions that organizers hope will sustain their movement.

Saturday’s marches featured few reports of problems in scenes that were more often festive than tense. Authorities were not quick to release crowd size estimates, but it was clear tens of thousands of people — and perhaps hundreds of thousands — turned out nationally.

Wearing masks and urging fundamental change, protesters gathered in dozens of places from coast to coast while mourners in North Carolina waited for hours to glimpse the golden coffin carrying the body of native son George Floyd, the black man whose death at the hands of Minneapolis police has galvanized the expanding movement.

Outrage over George Floyd's death unites people of all colors

HOUSTON (AP) — June 3, 2020 The family of George Floyd, the man whose death in Minneapolis police custody triggered nationwide protests, joined a crowd city officials estimated at 60,000 demonstrators to rally and march Tuesday in Houston to protest Floyd’s death.

Floyd, a black man who died after a white officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for minutes, even after he stopped moving, grew up in Houston and a public memorial and burial is planned there for next week.

Meanwhile in Dallas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday that Texas would not request military support after President Donald Trump threatened to deploy troops across the U.S. to confront violence that has erupted in the wake of Floyd’s death.

Protesters marched from a downtown Houston park to City Hall where, at a rally that lasted a little over an hour, various local and congressional officials, activists and members of Floyd’s family spoke.

Mayor Sylvester Turner told the crowd that the rally and march were about "lifting up the family of George Floyd."

"Today we want to love on them. We want them to know that George did not die in vain," he said.

Turner said about 16 members of Floyd’s family participated in the march and rally. Several members of Floyd’s family spoke at the rally, telling protesters of their appreciation for their support and asking them to not be violent in any protests in which they participated.

Before the start of the Houston march, Houston rapper Bun B, who organized the event with fellow Houston rapper Trae Tha Truth, told the crowd the march and rally would be peaceful and he asked the crowd to look out for anybody who could cause trouble.

Bun B then led the crowd of at least several thousand on a chant as he said "What’s his name?" and the crowd replied, "George Floyd."

"That’s right and don’t you ever forget it," Bun B said.

Police officers lined the route of the march and large city dump trucks blocked some downtown streets. Afterward, Police Chief Art Acevedo told the crowd to not let violence hijack their peaceful protests.

"God as my witness, change is coming," Acevedo said regarding the impact of Floyd’s death. "And we’re going to do it the right way."

Former President George W. Bush criticized any effort to squelch protests of George Floyd’s death while in Minneapolis police custody.

In a statement issued Tuesday by his office in Dallas, the former Republican president said he and wife Laura Bush "are anguished by the brutal suffocation of George Floyd and disturbed by the injustice and fear that suffocate our country."

"It is a strength when protesters, protected by responsible law enforcement, march for a better future. ... Those who set out to silence those voices do not understand the meaning of America — or how it becomes a better place," he said.

What's Your Point?