NEW YORK, June 4./TASS/. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio attempted to address a rally in Brooklyn on Thursday, but the crowd shouted him down, a TASS correspondent reported from the site.
A rally in memory of George Floyd brought together several thousand people. Security measures were stepped up, the park was cordoned off by the police, and a police helicopter was hovering over the site. Everybody was waiting for a speech from George’s brother, but the mayor was the first to take the podium.
No politicians, f-the mayor’s curfew, the crowd shouted.
We have come here to fight for our rights, not to listen to speeches from politicians, a female protester shared her feelings with the TASS correspondent.
Meanwhile, protesters listened with respect to mayor’s wife, African-American Chirlane McCray. She urged the crowd to exercise calm. After that, Bill de Blasio could speak, pledging changes in the New York police.
Widespread unrest has engulfed many US states over the death of an African-American Minneapolis man named George Floyd, who died after a police officer kneeled on his neck and choked him to death during his arrest. On May 26, all officers involved in the deadly arrest were fired. On May 29, the policeman in question, Derek Chauvin, was arrested on third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges. However, on June 3, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison upped the charge against Chauvin to second-degree murder. The three other officers involved in the fatal incident were arrested as well and are now facing charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
To counter the riots, local law enforcement is often supported by the National Guard. So far, 40 cities, including New York, have enacted a curfew.