There is no way for you to prove that Chauvin etc. would not have been prosecuted if the protests were undiminished in size (which is to say, Global!) and free of violence There is no way to prove that the violence was necessary to explain the prosecutions. Try to prove that the people instigating violence in the BLM movement were commit…
There is no way for you to prove that Chauvin etc. would not have been prosecuted if the protests were undiminished in size (which is to say, Global!) and free of violence There is no way to prove that the violence was necessary to explain the prosecutions. Try to prove that the people instigating violence in the BLM movement were committed to the BLM movement and weren't just opportunistic anarchists or - at best, but still in the cowardly category -uninvited sympathetic provacateurs.
"There is no way for you to prove that Chauvin etc. would not have been prosecuted if the protests were undiminished in size (which is to say, Global!) and free of violence"
You are asking me to prove a counterfactual history, which is tough. But I think I CAN prove what you ask.
(I am writing this up now with much more detail, but here is a preview).
Timeline of events:
May 25, 2020 – George Floyd's Death
George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis during an arrest by police officer Derek Chauvin. A bystander video capturing the incident rapidly spread online, igniting public outrage and peaceful protest.
May 26, 2020 – Protests Begin in Minneapolis
Peaceful protests continue at the site of Floyd's death, awaiting an announcement about Chauvin and others being arrested and prosecuted.
But instead of prosecutions. Chauvin and three other officers were fired by the Minneapolis Police Department. Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Medaria Arradondo announced that “Four responding MPD officers involved in the death of George Floyd have been terminated. This is the right call.”
That was it; that was "the call". The 4 were fired. End of story. That's what NON-violent protest had achieved. The 4 would have been able to rejoin the police at a different precinct.
In response, mass violent protests broke out in Minneapolis, leading to instances of property damage and confrontations with police.
May 27, 2020 – Nationwide Demonstrations
Protests spread to cities including Los Angeles, Memphis, and New York City. While demonstrations in these other cities remained peaceful, some areas experienced clashes between protesters and law enforcement.
Protests in Minneapolis continued to grow in violence.
May 28, 2020 – Escalation in Minneapolis
The Minneapolis Police Department's 3rd Precinct was set ablaze during intense protests. Governor Tim Walz activated the Minnesota National Guard to assist in restoring order.
May 29, 2020 – Charges Filed Against Chauvin
Three days after the firings, the prosecutor, Mike Freeman, charged ONLY Chauvin with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, a slap on the wrist.
Because these charges were perceived to be inadequate, protests continued, with some turning violent in cities like Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
May 30–31, 2020 – Intensified Protests and Unrest
Demonstrations occurred in over 140 U.S. cities. While many were peaceful, several cities, including Los Angeles and Philadelphia, reported looting, arson, and violent clashes.
Numerous cities imposed curfews, and over 20 states activated the National Guard.
June 1–2, 2020 – Continued Demonstrations
Protests persisted nationwide, with a mix of peaceful marches and isolated incidents of violence.
Law enforcement's response, including the use of tear gas and rubber bullets, drew criticism from civil rights organizations.
June 3, 2020 – Upgraded Charges and Additional Arrests
Responding to that mass violent protest, not only in Minneapolis but nation wide, Attorney General Keith Ellison elevated Chauvin's charge to second-degree murder. For the first time, the three other officers involved were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
After June 3, 2020
Following the announcement on June 3, 2020, of upgraded charges against Derek Chauvin and the charging of the other three officers involved in George Floyd's death, there was a notable shift in the nature of the protests across the United States.
According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), after June 3, the majority of demonstrations continued to be peaceful, with approximately 93% of the over 7,750 events between May 26 and August 22, 2020, involving no serious harm to people or property.
So there it is: initially, there was a non-violent protest. The result? The four were fired, but no charges. Then the violent protest began. The result? Minimal charges. The protests escalated and spread. The result? Real charges are brought by a serious prosecutor.
You cannot begin to tell me that Ellison would have brought the June 3 charges if there had been ONLY non-violent protest. That had been tried, and no charges were forthcoming.
Qualified Immunity
But now we get to the part that really falsifies your claim. After June 3, the protests became as you wish: non-violent.
There was still something required: the ending of national qualified immunity for cops. But that was now placed in the hands of Senators Scott and Booker. No more violent protests on the street, only non-violent protests and a "political process".
And what happened? Well, the Senate drew out "negotiations" till September 25, nearly 4 months later, when Scott killed it with the following statement: "I'm not going to participate in reducing funding for the police after we saw a major city after major city defund the police."
That is how the largest protest movement in world history died—because violent and non-violent protest (words and blows) became only non-violent protest and a political process.
There is no way for you to prove that Chauvin etc. would not have been prosecuted if the protests were undiminished in size (which is to say, Global!) and free of violence There is no way to prove that the violence was necessary to explain the prosecutions. Try to prove that the people instigating violence in the BLM movement were committed to the BLM movement and weren't just opportunistic anarchists or - at best, but still in the cowardly category -uninvited sympathetic provacateurs.
"There is no way for you to prove that Chauvin etc. would not have been prosecuted if the protests were undiminished in size (which is to say, Global!) and free of violence"
You are asking me to prove a counterfactual history, which is tough. But I think I CAN prove what you ask.
(I am writing this up now with much more detail, but here is a preview).
Timeline of events:
May 25, 2020 – George Floyd's Death
George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis during an arrest by police officer Derek Chauvin. A bystander video capturing the incident rapidly spread online, igniting public outrage and peaceful protest.
May 26, 2020 – Protests Begin in Minneapolis
Peaceful protests continue at the site of Floyd's death, awaiting an announcement about Chauvin and others being arrested and prosecuted.
But instead of prosecutions. Chauvin and three other officers were fired by the Minneapolis Police Department. Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Medaria Arradondo announced that “Four responding MPD officers involved in the death of George Floyd have been terminated. This is the right call.”
That was it; that was "the call". The 4 were fired. End of story. That's what NON-violent protest had achieved. The 4 would have been able to rejoin the police at a different precinct.
In response, mass violent protests broke out in Minneapolis, leading to instances of property damage and confrontations with police.
May 27, 2020 – Nationwide Demonstrations
Protests spread to cities including Los Angeles, Memphis, and New York City. While demonstrations in these other cities remained peaceful, some areas experienced clashes between protesters and law enforcement.
Protests in Minneapolis continued to grow in violence.
May 28, 2020 – Escalation in Minneapolis
The Minneapolis Police Department's 3rd Precinct was set ablaze during intense protests. Governor Tim Walz activated the Minnesota National Guard to assist in restoring order.
May 29, 2020 – Charges Filed Against Chauvin
Three days after the firings, the prosecutor, Mike Freeman, charged ONLY Chauvin with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, a slap on the wrist.
Because these charges were perceived to be inadequate, protests continued, with some turning violent in cities like Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
May 30–31, 2020 – Intensified Protests and Unrest
Demonstrations occurred in over 140 U.S. cities. While many were peaceful, several cities, including Los Angeles and Philadelphia, reported looting, arson, and violent clashes.
Numerous cities imposed curfews, and over 20 states activated the National Guard.
June 1–2, 2020 – Continued Demonstrations
Protests persisted nationwide, with a mix of peaceful marches and isolated incidents of violence.
Law enforcement's response, including the use of tear gas and rubber bullets, drew criticism from civil rights organizations.
June 3, 2020 – Upgraded Charges and Additional Arrests
Responding to that mass violent protest, not only in Minneapolis but nation wide, Attorney General Keith Ellison elevated Chauvin's charge to second-degree murder. For the first time, the three other officers involved were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
After June 3, 2020
Following the announcement on June 3, 2020, of upgraded charges against Derek Chauvin and the charging of the other three officers involved in George Floyd's death, there was a notable shift in the nature of the protests across the United States.
According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), after June 3, the majority of demonstrations continued to be peaceful, with approximately 93% of the over 7,750 events between May 26 and August 22, 2020, involving no serious harm to people or property.
So there it is: initially, there was a non-violent protest. The result? The four were fired, but no charges. Then the violent protest began. The result? Minimal charges. The protests escalated and spread. The result? Real charges are brought by a serious prosecutor.
You cannot begin to tell me that Ellison would have brought the June 3 charges if there had been ONLY non-violent protest. That had been tried, and no charges were forthcoming.
Qualified Immunity
But now we get to the part that really falsifies your claim. After June 3, the protests became as you wish: non-violent.
There was still something required: the ending of national qualified immunity for cops. But that was now placed in the hands of Senators Scott and Booker. No more violent protests on the street, only non-violent protests and a "political process".
And what happened? Well, the Senate drew out "negotiations" till September 25, nearly 4 months later, when Scott killed it with the following statement: "I'm not going to participate in reducing funding for the police after we saw a major city after major city defund the police."
That is how the largest protest movement in world history died—because violent and non-violent protest (words and blows) became only non-violent protest and a political process.