George Floyd killing: Amid protests and riots, America needs a better leader than Donald Trump – Angus Robertson

America looks like a society in breakdown. Militarised police are on the streets of many of the country’s cities, as protests and riots continue in the wake of yet another African-American dying because of police violence.

George Floyd died because a policeman deliberately knelt on his neck. Despite Mr Floyd clearly saying “please, I can’t breathe” and “don’t kill me”, the police officer had his knee on the prone man’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds – almost three minutes of which was after Mr Floyd became non-responsive.

The US is now experiencing the worst civil disturbances since the backlash to the 1968 assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King.

Fifty years on in the social media age, the scenes of militarised officers exacting unprovoked punitive violence against unarmed protesters, journalists and bystanders can be seen around the world. Police can be seen clearly using confrontational crowd control tactics, firing plastic bullets, using pepper spray indiscriminately and driving vehicles into crowds of people.

Just as the nation is crying out for leadership to bring the country together, to appeal for calm, and promise changes to policing, there is a dangerous vacuum because of Donald Trump.

The US President, who has thrived on division and dog-whistle politics, is the least well-suited president in American history to solve this kind crisis. It is not clear if he was evacuated to the White House bunker for his own safety or the safety of the US people.

It should go without saying, that “black lives matter”, but Americans of all colours and backgrounds deserve better leadership at this time of crisis.

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