The viral video of New York police kneeling with demonstrators Sunday dramatically documented the cracks that have formed in the thin blue line of America's law enforcement agencies as some officers denounced the death of George Floyd and, in many places, joined the protests.A white former Minneapolis police officer is charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter after Floyd, an African American man, died pleading for his life as the officer pinned his neck to the ground for more than 8 minutes. Protests, many of them violent, have convulsed the country for almost a week.Some police and sheriff's officials across the country have said the behavior of the Minneapolis officers on May 25 was unacceptable. Typical of the responses was one from Art Acevedo, the police chief in Houston, Floyd's hometown, who said two days later that Floyd's death should be "condemned by all in law enforcement and our extended community.""His death serves as a stark reminder that when bad policing happens, it disproportionately impacts communities of color and poor communities," Acevedo said.But as demonstrators have continued to turn out by the thousands in the face of riot police, National Guard troops and the threat of infection with the coronavirus, Acevedo and some other law enforcement officers have gone a step further.Acevedo, who joined a Justice for George Floyd march on Saturday, addressed a crowd outside a Houston-area church Sunday, his eyes rimmed with emotion, to say not only that he understood the protests but also that he was outraged at Americans who "don't see a problem."Minneapolis officers "showed no mercy when they put their knee on his neck," Acevedo said in video published by NBC affiliate KPRC."For every black mother, brother, sister, uncle, cousin, they saw their family in George's face," he added.Full coverage of George Floyd’s death and protests around the countryAcevedo said he had asked Floyd's family to allow Houston police to provide a guard of honor when Floyd's body is returned to Houston."We don't fear when people are angry, because we join them when they are angry," he said.
Source : aol.com/news
Numerous reports of this around NYC today: officers showing solidarity with protesters. (video below from SE Queens)
Please we need more of this. https://t.co/eIlgWHjuVCpic.twitter.com/Qdn8S9cZuA
Source : aol.com/news