Will the UK send more riot gear to a despotic Trump? Of course. It makes a profit
Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas K. Lane
UK prime minister Boris Johnson is being urged to ban the sale of riot control equipment to the United States in response to shocking images of police attacking peaceful protesters against the killing of George Floyd.
Trump seems to be entirely out of control. He had peaceful protesters tear-gassed so he could take part in a photo shoot in front of a church, clutching a Bible, in what many people (including myself) may describe as a blasphemy.
I’m home & still processing that I saw peaceful protesters teargassed outside the White House so Pres Trump could walk to St. John's Episcopal Church.
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, who oversees the church, said she is “outraged” to see it used in a photo-op.
I’m speechless.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) June 2, 2020
Bishop ‘outraged’ after tear gas used on crowds before Trump church photo op | The Canary https://t.co/KMD1xhotK2
— Samuel Miller (@Hephaestus7) June 3, 2020
This is symptomatic of the attitude he has displayed since public opinion boiled over in the wake of George Floyd’s killing. Many – including media pundits – believe he has turned the corner into dictatorship:
CNN anchor claims US is teetering on dictatorship with Trump as president https://t.co/8sHn64Lz8l
— The Independent (@Independent) June 2, 2020
His attitude to the classes seems to support this:
https://twitter.com/TheMendozaWoman/status/1267834749764153344
For clarity, let’s have a look at some video clips of what has been going on:
https://twitter.com/ThisIsQuasimodo/status/1267880824915058688
If you’re itching to condemn violence at protests, start with this. pic.twitter.com/zjmTBcH6kq
— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) June 2, 2020
https://twitter.com/LowkeySinistra/status/1267109420955086848
We need these clips by members of the public, too. If we didn’t have them, Ice T would be right:
Trust me… If we didn’t have cameras… This would ALL be denied.
— ICE T (@FINALLEVEL) June 2, 2020
Look at how news reporters have been targeted:
Journalists blinded, injured, and arrested while covering protests over death of George Floyd across the US pic.twitter.com/3GF3D27JOu
— TRT World (@trtworld) June 3, 2020
There have been exceptions, though – and it is important to note them. Not all in the police or the military agree with Trump that peaceful demonstrations should be put down with an iron fist:
Wait until @realDonaldTrump sees this astonishing video. He’ll nuke Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/cSRBAL421q
— Rachael Swindon (@Rachael_Swindon) June 3, 2020
It seems US police have been learning “brutality and repression” in specially-funded trips abroad. I make no comment about the country providing the training.
A lot of what’s happening today, the militaristic & oppressive attitude of US cops toward their fellow citizens can be understood by reading this article. ‘U.S. Police Routinely Travel to Israel to Learn Methods of Brutality and Repression’ https://t.co/6t8kXKshE1
— Phil Gould 🇵🇸🖕🥁 (@bongosaloon) June 2, 2020
The good news is that, after Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for the killing of Mr Floyd, the three other officers involved are also to face criminal charges. It has been said that Tou Thao watched while J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas K. Lane helped hold the victim down:
Three officers involved with George Floyd's death to be criminally charged, attorney says https://t.co/bx2OKqaKH9
— The Independent (@Independent) June 2, 2020
And a civil rights investigation has been launched into the activities of Minneapolis police.
Civil rights investigation launched into Minneapolis police department https://t.co/OqkLtJMOvZ pic.twitter.com/73Lcx9sOIR
— The Independent (@Independent) June 2, 2020
Back with the president, it seems the affair has killed Trump’s approval rating among US citizens. Now 54 per cent of them disapprove of him – the highest disapproval rating for any US president.
Trump should be happy – he’s always trying to say he’s top at something, and now he is.
FUN FACT: Trump’s disapproval rating has climbed to 54% — the highest disapproval for any president in U.S. history.
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) June 2, 2020
All of this takes us back to the UK’s response to all this. Boris Johnson has been urged to stop exporting arms and riot equipment to the United States, so it cannot be used to harm peaceful protesters in the way we’ve seen in the videos (above):
UK opposition parties urge Boris Johnson to suspend export of arms and riot gear to US https://t.co/dcsL0VQrh6
— The Independent (@Independent) June 2, 2020
.@EmilyThornberry demands the suspension of exports of riot control equipment to the United States, pending a review of whether they are being used in response to the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests in American cities – https://t.co/rJ6f7Q55ih
— Labour Press (@labourpress) June 2, 2020
According to the Independent article, neither Johnson nor any government spokesperson has yet commented on the issue.
This Writer’s opinion? There won’t be any cessation of arms trading with the US – it makes Tory-donor UK firms a fortune every day.
And Trump supporters can’t help shooting themselves in the foot (if only metaphorically). After Piers Morgan tweeted critically about the depths to which Trump has dragged his country, a US Twitter user made it clear that they did not want people from the UK to be involved in that country’s business. The response from a Brit was well-deserved and entirely appropriate:
Worst coronavirus death toll in the world, 40 million job losses, America burning as you vow to shoot black protestors after a black man is murdered by a racist cop… and you want THANKS? Get a bloody grip Mr President. 👇 https://t.co/EZqjygX8L5
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 2, 2020
So you guys don’t want our trade then, YIPPPEE. https://t.co/44J2ZFzp1z
— ♿️🇵🇸🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈🕸️⚫️MaiaB (@MaiaBug2010) June 2, 2020
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Has Morgan been on the proverbial road to Damascus…?