Black Power On BBC One

Yesterday I watched a mini-documentary on BBC one called 'Black Power: America's Armed Resistance.'

The show focused on police brutality in the US towards the black citizens of America as well as racism still very prevalent in America..

Although I live in the UK, I am verybinterested in the American culture  - "and not just the glitz and glamour" - prior to this show I had known about the Eric Garner, Mario Woods and Walter Scott cases and felt totally disgusted by what I had seen and how the cops got off very leniently.

Nobody was made accountable for these murders and thats what really got to me.

"Where is the justice?"

A lot of other cases were missed out, but that's not surprising when the show was only on for 45 minutes after 11pm.

"WHY, I don't know????"

So I'm going to just fill you in where the BBC left off...

Michael Brown

On August, 9th, 2014, Michael Brown, who was only 18 years old, got gunned down in the middle of the street by white police officer, Darren Wilson, and then his body was left to lay in the street for 4 hours.
Brown's death started the "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" movement due to many witnesses saying that they saw Brown use the phrase and gesture.
The officer's account was very different as he allegede that Brown reached into his car and attacked him.

Police Officer, Darren Wilson, was cleared of murder by the grand jury.

Akai Gurley

On November, 20th, 2014, Akai Gurley, was 28 years old when he was shot by Chinese-American Police officer Peter Liang on a dimly lit stairwell, after the officer was startled by Gurley.
The NYPD have claimed that this shooting was an accident, due to the officer not intentionally meaning to shot Gurley and the bullet richoceting off a wall and hitting the victim.

"Why would you discharge a weapon in the dark, especially a police officer who is supposed to know better?"

Liang was charged with manslaughter but after being found guilty of manslaughter he was freed without bail to wait to be sentenced.

Liang received five years probation and has to complee 800 hours of community service after his manslaughter conviction was downgraded to criminally negligent homocide.

"Is that all this young man's life was worth?"

Tamir Rice

On November, 22nd, 2014, Tamir Rice, was 12, when he was killed by a Cleveland police officer after they mistook his toy gun for a real one.

The two police officers involved in this case, have never been charged.

Rumain Brisbane

On December, 2nd, 2014, Rumain Brisbane, 34, was killed when a police officer mistook his pill bottle for a gun.

Again no officer was charged.

Eric Harris

On April, 2nd, 2015 Eric Harris was shot and killed by reserve deputy, Robert Bates, who mistook his own gun for a taser.
In video footage captured during the incident you can hear the deputy say "Taser", then a shot is heard and the deputy shouts, "I shot him! I'm sorry."

Harris is then heard saying "You shot me, man, oh my god. My breath."

Another officer responds, "Fuck your breath."

Bates, was found guiy of manslaughter and sentenced to four years in prison - finally justice - "For me this wasn't enough and this still shows the police protect themselves. Bates was just a volunteer reserve deputy, he wasn't an official cop."

"Could you imagine the volunteer police officers in England walking around with a live weapon?"

The list goes on and nothing changes.

Before I finish this piece whist speaking of England police officers because it's not just in America where this is happening.

Mark Duggan

In August, 2011, 29 year old Mark Duggan was shot and killed by UK Metropolitan Police after the taxi he was traveling in was stopped by undercover police.

The police advised they had intelligence that Duggan was armed with a firearm - Although none was found on the body of Duggan - and when they stopped the vehicle Duggan was travelling in, Duggan went to reach for something in his waistband and then attempted to flee from police which led to them shooting him.

Further reports stated that a gun which had been thrown 10-14 feet away, on the other side of a fence, had been recovered - which the police allegede belonged to Duggan.

Initial reports suggested that Duggan had shot an officer, luckily the bullet got lodged in the officer's radio, but this "story" was dismissed by forensics after the bullet lodged in the radio was found to come from a police officer's gun.

The taxi driver stated at the inquest that when the (undercover police) car stopped men jumped out really quickly with guns drawn.

"Now in this day and age with the gun crimes that are happening, if you saw a group of people jump out of a car with guns aimed at you, wouldn't you run?"

Whatever happened to shooting to main rather than to kill.

If this happened in all these cases there is a strong possibility that these people would still be with their families today, but we'll never know until there are changes.


Thanks for reading.

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