It is a scary thought to imagine that the officers who earn a living from the taxes you and other citizens pay to be protected would become a threat to security.
For Nigerians, this troubling anomaly originates from a number of influences, none of which even remotely excuses it, but exists no less. The Nigerian police have taken to brutalising defenceless citizens as a result of poor policing protocols, lack of accountability measures and a general culture of corruption; stemming from even the highest hierarchy of civil service.
Similarly, in the United States, police brutality is a product of something far more sinister; racism.
The victim was begging the murderers that he couldn't breathe, but the continue till he was killed. #icantbreathe pic.twitter.com/X4iLdYGSvU
— ??Man has no name ?? (@herbey_richie) May 27, 2020
Yesterday, footages of yet another case of police brutality on a black man surfaced online. The video depicted the last minutes of Gorge Floyd: an unarmed black man being brutally manhandled by police officers as he pleaded for his life. While pinned to the ground he continually uttered the words; “I can’t breath” which has now become the tag line for the protest against the racial motivated murder.
The video from another angle, it saddens me to see a human being inhuman. He was practically begging them, "I can't breathe. ???#icantbreathe pic.twitter.com/Jd07IW5Bv4
— ??Man has no name ?? (@herbey_richie) May 27, 2020
In the video, witnesses to the incidents in a failed attempt tried to talk the officers into easing the arrest. They pointed out the fact that he wasn’t resisting and as such didn’t need to be so forcefully constrained.
In an unempathetic display, the police officers refused to listen, as one of the officers was seen kneeling on the man’s neck. Three of the four officers present pinned the unarmed man to the ground, while one tried to control the crowd. The unarmed black man continued to plead that he couldn’t breath and he was hurting, but to no avail, until he become unconscious, and subsequently confirmed dead.
This disturbing footage has made its way all over the internet and shown the world again the injustice racism inspires.
This video shows a US police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in custody.
— M.S Khan ( Proud Indian ?? ) (@socialtoworker) May 27, 2020
Being of a similar race, Nigerians decided to join in on the conversation, particularly because we are no strangers to police brutality.
He stood there, people stood by and couldn't do anything because the police stopped them. The white officer knelt on his neck and killed him in cold blood. In 2020 we're still dealing with this level of racism#icantbreathe
— banana ?? (@BigBananaa_) May 27, 2020
Back in Minneapolis, protesters have taken to the streets to demand justice for the family of George Floyd. Wearing face masks and holding signboards that read ‘#icantbreathe.’
A number of the Minneapolis residents have refused to let the lock down stop them from performing their civic duties. For them, the tragedy of murdering a black man in cold blood and in full view of the public displays a sense of white supremacy that should not be ignored.
Before the cops turned up on them in #Minneapolis #MinnesotaPolice #MinneapolisPolice #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #icantbreathe #BlackLivesMatters #MinneapolisPoliceMurderdHim #RIPGeorgeFloyd #GeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/PTD58VJ2tB
— j͓̽o͓̽y͓̽j͓̽o͓̽y͓̽ (@joyjoyondatbeat) May 27, 2020
Unfortunately even the protest is being met with heavy resistance and violence, leaving many to wonder if there truly is an end in sight, to the systematic oppression of people of color.
With Minneapolis police are waging war against civilians simply for demanding justice for George Floyd (while allowing white folks to peacefully protest a virus), just thought I’d share this important info on handling tear gas from pigs. #ftp #icantbreathe #BlackLivesMatters pic.twitter.com/KBLyky2i5i
— ?️?DJ?️? (@BrotherBexar) May 27, 2020
For Chinedu Okafor, its all about making an impact with words, creating a profound impression on the audience with the intended narrative.
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