Burning cars, looting, violence. Within a few days of the protests after the death of George Floyd (†46) escalated as a result of a brutal arrest on may 25. May. Hundreds of thousands demonstrated against police violence and inequality, first in Minneapolis, then in New York, Chicago and many European cities. Two weeks after Floyd’s death, peace seems to be on the roads in the area. In a telephone Interview with a VIEW of the renowned Berlin protest researcher Margit Mayer (71), why the protests are nevertheless, exceptionally explains.
Margit Mayer: The fear of a civil war, foment, especially media such as Fox News and Breitbart. The demonstrators operate no violent overthrow. They are very clear in their demands: Black Lives Matter. They demand the punishment of the brutal-looking police officers approach.
We have to do it now for the first Time, with a movement to the same extent as in 1968. The Similarities and Parallels with the civil rights movement, jump into the eye. It’s racism comes to the same Central Problem: – the white supremacy in the United States and to maintain the necessary police brutality. This is the Central, unresolved issue in the United States.
you can talk, to the extent that the until now powerful founding myth of the USA is based on the extermination of the indigenous population and slavery. President Johnson was to examine the effects of the 1967 prominent, because he very well it was clear that the socio-economic inequality between Black – and- today would be “People of Color” tell – and-White was the former urban unrest as a basis. In the report of the Kerner Commission, the authors warned: If the U.S. does not devote sufficient resources to mitigate the dramatic political and economic inequality, will split the Nation even more deeply along ethnic lines. But, unfortunately, neither Johnson nor any other liberal politicians have prioritized the issue – they did not want to admit that white racism caused the riots.
The unrest remained, for the most part on the Los Angeles limited. You are granted five violent days – after the national guard is withdrawn and the curfew was lifted, returned to the agenda. Today the government pays much attention to actual or suspected violence, but the “LA Riots” were by the extent of violence, destruction and dead here much more intense.
it depends, what are the indicators we set for “change”. You look at the economic Situation of the Black, I would say, ineffective. In access to education: ineffective. In the case of police violence: no effect. Many cities and States have set up programmes such as awareness-raising training for police officers – has not passed the but. Therefore, the radical demand, such as in Minneapolis, to start from scratch. Advanced and tested concepts to reduce police violence, there are. So far lacked the political will – even in cities with democratic mayors such as New York.
Without Corona, the protests wouldn’t be probably so big. We have a special Situation, because so many people in the USA are unemployed. Also interesting is the wide support is the presence of White on the Demos, for example, is very impressive-the international Demos, or that companies Express their support symbolically or with donations. This could be evidence that this movement is more steadfast could develop resistance. But: The larger a movement is, the more heterogeneous it is. The could try to Capture or divisions lead.
concessions made by the government and national institutions. On the Federal policy, however, is not currently, but maybe in November, a new cast. Still has to offer the democratic party a little in terms of concrete demands. The knee in the Congress was a purely symbolic act. I have never seen a bill that goes to the core of the claims.
In the individual States and cities is happening very much – even if the map looks like, depending on the political tip, of course, very different. But the governors and mayors could put pressure on the Federal policy, by countering local inequality and white racism.
protest researcher Margit Mayer
a Few researchers in the German-speaking countries with protest movements in the United States as well as Margit Mayer (71). The political scientist, is Emeritus Professor at the John-F.-Kennedy-Institute for North American studies, FU Berlin. She taught at several American universities and primary focus of interest is US politics, new social movements, and urban development.
