Death of George Floyd : the facts reclassified as murder, four police officers charged

The police officer Derek Chauvin had initially been charged only with manslaughter. He is now prosecuted for voluntary manslaughter.

The four police officers who have arrested George Floyd in Minneapolis are now all being sued by the justice, and his death was classified as "murder", as demanded hundreds of thousands of Americans who express since last week, announced on Wednesday that the authorities.

The protests, which have sometimes been accompanied by looting and riots continued on Wednesday in many towns and cities, without any overflow major has been reported. After the scenes of violence that had punctuated the previous night, the president, Donald Trump had threatened on Monday to deploy the army "to quickly resolve the problem," remarks immediately denounced by the opposition.

Trump accused of "divide" in America

In overt disagreement with Donald Trump, the american Defence secretary himself said on Wednesday opposed the idea of deploying troops in large cities. "I am not favorable to the decree of the state of insurgency", which would allow the billionaire republican deploying soldiers active in the face of american citizens, and non-reservists of the national Guard, as is currently the case, " said Mark Esper.

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Jim Mattis, the former minister of Defense of Donald Trump, who had resigned, is in turn mounted to the niche to accuse the president of "dividing" America. "In my lifetime, Donald Trump is the first president who does not try to bring together the U.s., which does not even pretend to try," wrote the former general of the Marines.

The american president was immediately unleashed on Twitter, calling Jim Mattis of the "general the most overrated in the world" and "dog crazy". "I'm glad he's gone !", insisted the tenant of the White House.

"institutionalised Racism"

The new indictments in the investigation into the death of George Floyd may be of a nature to bring calm to the protests in the streets. Derek Chauvin, the police officer who, on may 25 in Minneapolis, knelt on the neck of the middle-aged for more than eight minutes, causing his death, had initially been charged only with manslaughter.

The counts of the indictment to have been re-qualified Wednesday, "murder not premeditated", more serious, and is punishable by 40 years in prison. The three other officers who accompanied him are now also being prosecuted, for aiding and abetting, and detained, to the great satisfaction of the family of George Floyd. These prosecutions were at the heart of the demands of the demonstrators, who are raising their anger everywhere in the country.

READ ALSO >> Who is Derek Chauvin, the police officer charged for death of George Floyd ?

"The problem is, that it was necessary that we go down in the streets and that we were literally of bridges and highways in order to obtain justice," said Brian Carter, American black 29-year-old met by the AFP when one of the events held in New York. "If a group of four black men killed a white person, they would have been arrested on the spot. It's not happening like that for us," he says.

For the governor of Minnesota, the indictment of four police officers is an opportunity to "address the issue of institutionalized racism and impunity" that led to the death of George Floyd. "This is probably our last chance to remedy, as a State and nation," he said.

The ex-us president Barack Obama has welcomed the "change of mindset underway", which might lead to reforms at the national level. "Remember that this country was founded on a protest movement. It's called the american revolution", launched a Barack Obama during a video conference with activists.

Almost 10,000 arrests

In dozens of cities across the country, thousands of protesters were again in the streets on Wednesday, some decided to brave once again the curfew, the timetables have been relaxed in Los Angeles or Washington. In Seattle (north-west), the local authorities have even decided to waive, purely and simply.

In Los Angeles, mayor Eric Garcetti has gained access to one of the main demands of the movement "Black Live Matters" which organizes the challenge : reduce the police budget to invest in social programs and educational destination of the black communities. The mayor, a democrat has renounced to increase the police budget next year and decided to allocate $ 250 million to such programs.

READ ALSO >> The murder of George Floyd reveals the failure of Donald Trump ... and its predecessors

In Washington, a major police operation was once again deployed to close access to the White House, even though authorities have said they expect peaceful gatherings. On Monday evening, the area around the White House had been evacuated manu militari to allow Donald Trump to go out into the street and pose with a copy of the Bible in front of the small church that faces the center of the pouvoir executive american.

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Death of George Floyd

"My dad has changed the world": the moving words of the daughter of George Floyd Management Covid-19, death of George Floyd... When China is the lesson the United States The ex-minister of Defense of Trump, Jim Mattis, accused of "dividing" America

The billionaire, who boasts about the virtues of manly of the order and of the "dominion" since the beginning of this crisis, has denied on Wednesday the reports that he had been hastily put the shelter on Friday night by the Secret Service in a bunker secure during a protest in front of his official residence. In total, the police undertook in recent days to almost 10 000 arrests in the country, according to an estimate taken over by the american media.

Date Of Update: 04 June 2020, 10:58