It’s time for a new approach to end police brutality

The killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on 25 May has been followed by waves of protests and outrage across the US and the world. Unfortunately, there’s little new in any of this, as we’ve been here before with US police assaulting and killing Black people. And these attacks and killings have also been followed by mass protests and unrest.

Dr Cornel West, who referred to George Floyd’s killing as “a lynching at the highest level” said it’s:

400 years of Black people having to come to terms with these kind of vicious murders, and assassinations, and attacks.

So, how did we get here and what can we do if we want to break this vicious cycle? The Canary spoke to two activists and scholars and put these questions to them.

The first is:

Dr Jason Williams, assistant professor of justice studies at Montclair State University and co-founder of the Hampton Institution, where he’s chair of the criminal justice department. He is also co-editor of A Critical Analysis of Race and the Administration of Justice.

And the second is:

Dr Zoe Spencer, “a scholar/strategist/activist from Barry Farms projects in DC. She currently teaches sociology at Virginia State University. She is a published author and a highly sought-after speaker and presenter. Most importantly she is a freedom fighter, a seeker of truth, and unapologetic in her purpose of making a better world for humanity, no matter how small the mark”.

Featured image via Michael Anthony Adams on Twitter / The Canary YouTube