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110-784: The Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA) is an American police union that represents the sergeants of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), while the department's nonsupervisory patrol officers are represented by the larger Police Benevolent Association . The SBA is characterized by the Associated Press as a partisan organization, and is known for perpetually criticizing the mayor of New York City (especially recent mayor Bill de Blasio ), unfavored police commissioners , and other politicians through an inflammatory Twitter account, press releases and other media statements. In 1899, following

220-498: A contrast to daytime protests that were characterized as mostly peaceful events. Some initial acts of property destruction on May 27 by a 32-year-old man with ties to white supremacist organizations, who local police investigators said was deliberately inciting racial tension, led to a chain reaction of fires and looting. The unrest, including people overtaking the Minneapolis third precinct police station and setting it on fire

330-911: A downtown Minneapolis court building where a pretrial hearing was held for the four police officers involved in Floyd's murder. On October 7, 2020, several protests were held in Minneapolis to express anger over Chauvin's release from jail pending trial after he posted bond for his $ 1 million bail . Minnesota Governor Tim Walz deployed 100 National Guards troops, 100 Minnesota state police troops, and 75 conservation officers. Fifty-one arrests were reported that night, mostly for misdemeanor offenses, such as unlawful assembly. In early 2021, Minneapolis and Hennepin County officials spent $ 1 million on fencing and other barricades for police stations and other government buildings to prepare for potential civil unrest during

440-454: A history of protest and leftist politics since its founding: "[The ILWU] understood that division along the lines of race only benefited employers, because it weakened the efforts of workers to act together and to organize together. The UAW also asked members to join the protests by standing down for 8 minutes and 46 seconds , the amount of time Chauvin was initially reported to have held his knee to Floyd's neck. On June 17, in response to

550-558: A link with perceived police union corruption and their shielding of "dirty" officers by organized labor. George Floyd protests In Minneapolis–Saint Paul : May 26, 2020 – May 2, 2023 (2 years, 11 months and 1 week) The George Floyd protests were a series of protests and demonstrations against police brutality that began in Minneapolis in the United States on May 26, 2020. The protests and civil unrest began in Minneapolis as reactions to

660-459: A marquee that had counted down the days to Chauvin's trial to read, "Justice served?", and chanted, "One down! Three to go!", in reference to the looming trials of officers of the other three officers who participated in Floyd's arrest and subsequent murder. The street intersection area had been a "continuous site of protest" since the day Floyd was murdered, and at nearly a year after his murder, thousands of people from multiple countries had visited

770-658: A night patrol shift after he ticketed a friend of NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey ; Bianchi described that stop as "unremarkable" and said the friend did not mention she knew Maddrey. In addition to collective bargaining on behalf of their members, police unions engage in political advocacy around " law and order ," crime legislation and legal protections for individual officers. Efforts by the Department of Justice to regulate policing through consent decree , civilian oversight, and prosecution of police misconduct have been stalled or forbidden by police union contracts. In 2014,

880-578: A performance presented in partnership with Sing For Hope , performed on the steps of the Brooklyn Public Library. By the end of June, more than 4,700 demonstrations had occurred in the United States—a daily average of 140—with an estimate of 15 million and 26 million total participants. Protests had occurred in over 40% of the counties in the United States. Protests in the aftermath of Floyd's murder were then considered

990-539: A police corruption investigation. In August 2018 the SBA began offering civilians $ 500 cash rewards for coming to the aid of an officer in trouble and helping police officers restrain those resisting arrest . In 2019, Mullins emailed an explicitly racist video to the Association's membership, referring to black people as "monsters", along with the message: "Pay close attention to every word. You will hear what goes through

1100-589: A reported 330,000 members, although the FOP encompasses both union lodges and fraternal lodges, and while active as an advocacy group is not itself officially a union. The largest national union per se is the International Union of Police Associations , with about 20,000 members, which is among that 20% of police unions with affiliations to organized labor. The IUPA chartered with the AFL–CIO in 1979. Likewise

1210-504: A result of anti-black sentiment, which is seen as structural in nature. According to a police statement, on May 25, 2020, at 8:08   p.m. CDT , Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officers responded to a 9-1-1 call regarding a "forgery in progress" on Chicago Avenue South in Powderhorn, Minneapolis . MPD Officers Thomas K. Lane and J. Alexander Kueng arrived with their body cameras turned on. A store employee told officers that

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1320-673: A self-administered health and welfare plan, and expanded health insurance coverage for NYC sergeants. In 1995, the SBA merged with the unions representing sergeants of the New York City Transit Police and New York City Housing Authority Police Department , as those departments merged into the NYPD. On July 1, 2002, Ed Mullins was elected President of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, and later reelected for several four-year terms. He

1430-600: A silent rally inspired by the 1917 NAACP Silent Parade . The march generated widespread media attention as one of the largest peaceful protests in modern New York City history. On June 19, Juneteenth , the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) shut down ports on the West Coast in solidarity with protesters. An educator from the University of Washington said that the union has

1540-523: A stretcher. Not only had Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for about seven minutes (including four minutes after Floyd stopped moving) but another video showed an additional two officers had also knelt on Floyd while another officer watched. Although the police report stated that medical services were requested prior to the time Floyd was placed in handcuffs, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune , Emergency Medical Services arrived at

1650-530: A year after Floyd's murder, civil rights activists continued to call for passage of the federal George Floyd Justice in Policing Act . Many activists believed that "justice for George Floyd" required changing the systems of policing and criminal justice in a way that would have prevented his murder. On April 23, 2021, in Austin, Texas , activists rallied outside the state's capitol to call for passage of

1760-721: Is correct we are living in criminal anarchy." In February 2021 the SBA Twitter account repeated the claim that the Sergeants Benevolent Association was "at war" with the government of New York City. Mullins was charged with misconduct by the Civilian Complaint Review Board , in February 2021, and he faced the loss of months of salary. The board substantiated three charges against him, two of offensive language and one of abuse of authority (against de Blasio's daughter). On October 5, 2021, Mullins resigned at

1870-610: Is part of National Association of Government Employees ( SEIU / CtW ). Amid calls to remove police from the labor movement in 2020, member affiliates of the west coast King County Labor Council brought two motions to reform and / or expel the Seattle Police Officer Guild , the largest police union in the northwest. On June 8, 2020 the Writers Guild of America, East called on the AFL-CIO to dismiss

1980-419: The 1992 Los Angeles riots . The protests precipitated a worldwide debate on policing and racial injustice that has led to numerous legislative proposals on federal, state, and municipal levels in the U.S. intended to combat police misconduct , systemic racism , qualified immunity and police brutality . The protests led to a wave of monument removals , name changes , and societal changes throughout

2090-492: The 2020 United States presidential election . Growing controversy surrounds the impact of police labor unions on law enforcement behavior. Police unions have been described as an impediment to organizational reform and as organizations that hinder discipline for officers involved in misconduct. In the wake of the police murder of George Floyd , academics from the Columbia Law Review have begun to reexamine

2200-711: The Brooklyn Museum at Grand Army Plaza for the Liberation March, a silent protest in response to police brutality and violence against black transgender women. Frustrated by the lack of media coverage over the deaths of Nina Pop , who was stabbed in Sikeston, Missouri, on May 3 and Tony McDade , who was shot by police in Tallahassee, Florida, on May 27, artist and drag performer West Dakota and her mentor, drag queen Merrie Cherry, decided to organize

2310-594: The COVID-19 pandemic and other natural disasters, constituted the largest military operation other than war in U.S. history. By the end of June 2020, at least 14,000 people had been arrested. By June 2020, more than 19 people had died in relation to the unrest. A report from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project estimated that between May 26 and August 22, 93% of individual protests were "peaceful and nondestructive" and research from

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2420-551: The George Floyd protests in New York City, the SBA doxxed de Blasio's daughter by tweeting a photo of her arrest record, shortly after she was arrested for blocking traffic and refusing to move after officials deemed it an "unlawful assembly" during a protest, as reported by The New York Post and Fox News . The arrest record contained her home address, date of birth and state ID number, among other information, and

2530-795: The International Brotherhood of Police Officers has a national scope, and is a member organization of the National Association of Government Employees , which is itself affiliated with the Service Employees International Union . The history of police labor organization in the U.S., under the hand of Samuel Gompers and the American Federation of Labor , began in June 1919. Within four months an ill-advised strike by

2640-766: The Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York , the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, the Boston Police Patrolmen's Association , and the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association. Several Police Benevolent Associations have a tradition of distributing courtesy cards to friends and family members of police officers which allows them to violate laws with impunity. In 2012, the director of

2750-689: The killing of Eric Garner in New York City resulted in numerous national protests. In 2015, the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore police custody resulted in riots in the city and nationwide protests as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. Several nationally publicized incidents occurred in Minnesota, including the 2015 shooting of Jamar Clark in Minneapolis ; the 2016 shooting of Philando Castile in Falcon Heights ; and

2860-451: The trial of Derek Chauvin in March. State and local officials also made plans to deploy thousands of police officers and National Guard soldiers. In early March, in the days preceding Chauvin's trial, local organizers staged peaceful protests with thousands of people marching in the streets. The situation at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis grew tense when a person was fatally shot inside

2970-491: The 1960s did most state laws change to allow public-sector employees the right to collective bargaining . In recent times police unions have been characterized as impediments to organizational reform, and as hindrances in attempts to discipline police officers involved in misconduct. Unions frequently oppose criminal justice reform proposals, as well as have promoted rioting and strikes when governments introduce organizational reforms. Police are still highly unionized in

3080-507: The 2017 shooting of Justine Damond . In 2016, Tony Timpa was killed by Dallas police officers in the same way as George Floyd. In August 2019, Elijah McClain died after Aurora police ordered paramedics to administer ketamine under dubious circumstances. In March 2020, the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor by police executing a search warrant at her Kentucky apartment was also widely publicized. After Eric Garner and George Floyd repeatedly said " I can't breathe " during their arrests,

3190-497: The 20th century was the 1992 Los Angeles riots , which were in response to the acquittal of police officers responsible for excessive force against Rodney King , an African American man. The Black Lives Matter movement was originally started in 2013, after Trayvon Martin’s killer was found not guilty in court. In 2014, the shooting of Michael Brown by police in Ferguson, Missouri , resulted in local protests and unrest while

3300-494: The 5,000 Massachusetts State Guard ordered in by Governor Calvin Coolidge . More than 1000 officers were fired and replaced by the city at the higher salaries the union had struck for. The event had a pronounced chilling effect on police unionization for decades. The Boston Police Patrolmen's Association was formed 46 years later, in 1965, following a change in state law. A national police union would not be approved until

3410-528: The Chauvin trial at several locations. In Houston, Texas, Floyd's family held an event on April 9, 2021. In Maryland, a group gathered to pray that for justice for Floyd and his family as the jury began deliberations in the Chauvin criminal trial on April 19, 2021. As a jury deliberated in Chauvin's criminal trial, a vigil for Floyd was held on April 19, 2021, in Melbourne, Florida. People in many cities in

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3520-406: The Chauvin's guilty verdict spread on April 20, 2021, a crowd of one-thousand people marched in downtown Minneapolis and others gathered at 38th and Chicago Avenue to celebrate the outcome. Demonstrations in Minneapolis during Chauvin's criminal trial and verdict announcement were largely peaceful. Following Chauvin's verdict, many activists in Minneapolis did not perceive that "Justice for Floyd"

3630-551: The East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue intersection in Minneapolis where Floyd was killed. In many parts of the United States, protests over Floyd's murder gradually diminished over time. In Portland, Oregon, however, Floyd's murder resulted in a yearlong period of "near-continuous protests" over racial injustice and police violence, at times featuring clashes between demonstrators and authorities and resulting in property damage. In Boston , activists rallied on March 4, 2021, to demand

3740-476: The Fraternal Order of Police lobbied unsuccessfully for the continuation of Pentagon's 1033 program , which allowed for excess military equipment to be given to civilian police departments, after it was discontinued by President Obama. Police unions also generate significant political donations. Between 1994 and 2020, over 55 police unions donated $ 1 million to different federal election campaigns. In

3850-794: The George Floyd Square's Justice Resolution 001 had been met, that all four police officers be held legally accountable for murdering George Floyd. By the forth anniversary of Floyd's murder in 2024, the streetway remained a continued place of protest. Protests outside the Minneapolis area were first reported on May 27 in Memphis and Los Angeles . By May 28, protests had sprung up in several major U.S. cities with demonstrations increasing each day. By June, protests had been held in all U.S. states. At least 200 cities had imposed curfews , and at least 27 states and Washington, D.C., activated over 62,000 National Guard personnel in response to

3960-530: The IUPA. Sometimes described as a "union," the National Association of Police Organizations is solely a lobbying organization. A Police Benevolent Association, or Policemen's Benevolent Association, or Patrolmen's Benevolent Association (PBA), is a frequently used name for law enforcement labor unions in the U.S. Examples include the New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association ,

4070-574: The International Union of Police Association in 1979. In 1935, the Wagner Act was passed by president Franklin D. Roosevelt, allowing private sector employees to collectively bargain. It wasn't until later in the 1960s that many US states changed laws to allow public-sector employees the right to collective bargaining . By the 1970s police were unionized in every major US city. The longest continuously operating police union in

4180-464: The Minneapolis–Saint Paul events alone the second-most destructive period of local unrest in United States history, after the 1992 Los Angeles riots . About 60% of the local financial losses were uninsured. In Minneapolis, protesters barricaded the street intersection at East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue where Floyd was murdered and transformed it into a makeshift memorial site, which

4290-487: The Nonviolent Action Lab and Crowd Counting Consortium estimated that by the end of June, 96.3% of 7,305 demonstrations involved no injuries and no property damage. However, arson, vandalism, and looting that occurred between May 26 and June 8 caused approximately $ 1–2 billion in insured damages nationally, the highest recorded damage from civil disorder in U.S. history, and surpassing the record set during

4400-613: The November 2020 election . Terrance Floyd, George's brother, and other family members rallied voters in support of the candidacy of Joe Biden , and they made an appearance with the Biden family at a campaign event in Tallahassee, Florida . Terrence Floyd also rallied voters in New York City on the November 3, 2020, Election Day. By December, the protest movement was still "deeply rooted" at George Floyd Square, an occupied protest of

4510-487: The PBA's courtesy cards. It alleged the NYPD violated Bianchi's first amendment right to speak out against "widespread corruption, illegal practices and the manipulation of issuance" of traffic tickets through the cards. Specifically, Bianchi claimed that his decision to ticket some cardholders led to the PBA threatening to drop his union protection, and that he was ultimately reassigned from his traffic unit on Staten Island to

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4620-510: The Police Institute at Rutgers University stated that the practice was at least 40 years old and probably much older. While police departments have repeatedly denied that they support favoritism for cardholders, the cards have come to be called " get out of jail free cards " colloquially based on anecdotal reports that they have helped drivers receive a warning instead of a speeding ticket. Officers speaking anonymously have supported

4730-471: The SBA tweeted "Mayor De Blasio, the members of the NYPD are declaring war on you! We do not respect you, DO NOT visit us in hospitals. You sold the NYPD to the vile creatures, the 1% who hate cops but vote for you. NYPD cops have been assassinated because of you. This isn't over, Game on!" after a targeted attack on police officers, which the Mayor had referred to as an assassination attempt. In May 2020, during

4840-405: The SBA. For his May sentencing, federal guidelines suggest 33-41 months in prison, with a maximum of 20 years. The Sergeants Benevolent Association built a television studio inside its Lower Manhattan headquarters, where Mullins intended to direct and star in podcasts and videos to, in his words, "Take it nationwide, you know you can give law enforcement a voice." Police unions in

4950-649: The Texas’ George Floyd Act—reform legislation introduced to ban chokeholds and require officers to intervene to stop excessive use of force—that had stalled in the state legislature. On May 6, 2021, Black mothers led a march in Washington, D.C., to encourage passage federal police reform legislation named after Floyd. On May 19, 2021, in Nevada , protesters jammed phone lines to the state legislature after police reform legislation introduced as result of

5060-442: The U.S. with over 5,000 police officers correspond with the four next-largest independent municipal labor unions by total membership: Of the 20 to 25% of police unions with affiliations with organized labor, the largest is the International Union of Police Associations , which chartered with the AFL–CIO in 1979. It has over 15,000 members. Other union affiliates include the International Brotherhood of Police Officers , which

5170-474: The U.S., particularly against African Americans , have long led the civil rights movement and other activists to protest against a lack of police accountability in incidents they see as involving excessive force. Many protests during the civil rights movement were in response to the perception of police brutality, including the 1965 Watts riots which resulted in the deaths of 34 people, mostly African Americans. The largest post-civil rights movement protest in

5280-546: The United States Many of the independent unions serve police in local municipalities. The self-described "largest municipal police union in the world" is the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York that represents 24,000 members of the NYPD . There is no single dominant national association. Four associations have significant membership drawn from across the country. The Fraternal Order of Police has

5390-543: The United States in support of federal police reform legislation. At a rally in New York City outside Brooklyn Borough Hall on May 23, 2021, Terrance Floyd, George's brother, called on the crowd to continue advocating for police reform and for communities to “stay woke ”. Civil rights activist Al Sharpton said, "convicting Chauvin is not enough", and encouraged congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, as well as continued activism ahead of

5500-579: The United States in the 21st century, in contrast to the declining union membership of other professions in both the public and private sectors. High union membership rates among police and other law enforcement officers significantly raise the average. The New York City Police Department is the largest in the country. With roughly 35,000 sworn officers, it's three times larger than the next-biggest, Chicago. It supports five separate unions, according to various ranks (patrol officers, sergeants, lieutenants, detectives, and captains): The other four cities in

5610-444: The United States reacted to Chauvin's murder conviction on April 20, 2021, with largely peaceful demonstrations. Some jurisdictions had proactively mobilized National Guard troops and declared states of emergency in preparation for possible violence, and some businesses had boarded up to prevent potential looting. Many activists perceived the guilty verdict as just one step in the process to obtain justice over Floyd's murder. At nearly

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5720-613: The United States staged protest events on October 14, 2020. Rallies and vigils were held in Minneapolis, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles, among other places. In Portland, Oregon, where Black Lives Matter protests had been held daily since Floyd's murder, demonstrators staged a sit-in . For some Black Americans, particularly a group interviewed in George Floyd's hometown in Houston, Texas, the protests over Floyd's murder transformed to greater political activity and increased voter turnout in

5830-861: The United States walking off their jobs for approximately 8 minutes, in honor of Floyd. The theme for the March on Washington held in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 2020, was, "Commitment March: Get Your Knee Off Our Necks", a reference to Floyd's arrest by Chauvin. Over the Labor Day holiday weekend, which the Saturday marked 100 nights of protests since Floyd's murder, marches and rallies where held in many cities. In Miami, Florida , protesters on September 7, 2020, commemorated Floyd's murder and pressured local authorities to enact changes to policing policies, such as banning chokeholds during arrests. To mark what would have been Floyd's 47th birthday, groups across

5940-474: The active, ongoing protest and memorial site there. People gathered at multiple locations in Minneapolis for the announcement of Chauvin's sentencing on June 25, 2021, when he received a 22.5-year prison term. Family and civil rights activists expressed disappointment and said it should have been for the 30-year maximum, and they advocated for passage of the federal George Floyd Justice in Policing Act legislation. Several demonstrations were held in Minneapolis

6050-602: The anniversary of George Floyd's murder including rioting but situations were finally said to have calmed down in the early hours of May 26, 2021. In New York City, protesters marched and then knelt for 9 minutes and 29 seconds while blocking traffic. A rally in Portland, Oregon, was peaceful in the afternoon, but at night, 150 demonstrators set fire to a dumpster outside the Multnomah County Justice Center and damaged other property. Police declared

6160-410: The area of Floyd's head and neck. A Facebook Live livestream recorded by a bystander showed Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck. Floyd repeatedly tells Chauvin "Please" and "I can't breathe", while a bystander is heard telling the police officer, "You got him down. Let him breathe." After some time, a bystander points out that Floyd was bleeding from his nose while another bystander tells

6270-507: The consolidation of the five New York City borough police departments, a fraternal organization known as the Police Sergeants Endowment and Benevolent Association was founded in New York City. In 1907 Sergeant Richard E. Enright was elected the first SBA President. Harold Melnick became the SBA's President in 1961, and over his 20-year term in office, the SBA won individual collective bargaining rights, established

6380-520: The conviction of all four officers present at the scene of Floyd's murder and for local authorities to investigate past cases where police officers used excessive force. Two days later, thousands marched in Boston to call for justice for Floyd as part of a coordinated, 17-state set of rallies. In Salt Lake City , activists protested Floyd's murder by staging a car caravan on March 6, 2021. Prayer vigils seeking justice for Floyd were held in conjunction with

6490-715: The country is the Portland Police Association of Portland, Oregon, established in 1942. Police Unions in the United states tend to endorse the Republican Party . On September 16, 2016, the Fraternal Order of Police endorsed Republican candidate Donald Trump for U.S. president. It endorsed Trump again on September 4, 2020. On August 18, 2020, the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York endorsed Trump for President in

6600-466: The courtroom for the trial. Protest demonstrations were held in the streets surrounding the courtroom building during the trial. On February 24, 2022, Kueng, Lane, and Thao were convicted on all federal civil rights charges they faced at trial. A small group of protesters gathered outside the court building in Saint Paul and at the location in Minneapolis where Floyd was murdered while the verdict

6710-403: The criminal trials of Lane, Kueng, and Thao and the federal civil rights trial of all four officers. By May 25, 2021, the anniversary of Floyd's murder, the United States had experienced a yearlong movement to address racial injustice in policing. Several street protests were held in many locations in the United States to mark the anniversary. There was mass disturbance on May 25, 2021, to mark

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6820-436: The day after George Floyd's murder and when a video of the incident had circulated widely in the media. By midday, people had gathered by the thousands and set up a makeshift memorial. Organizers of the rally emphasized keeping the protest peaceful. Protesters and Floyd's family demanded that all four officers at the scene of his arrest and killing be charged with murder and that judicial consequences be swift. That evening,

6930-673: The demonstrations in the United States, making the protests the largest in U.S. history . While the majority of protests were peaceful, demonstrations in some cities escalated into riots, looting , and street skirmishes with police and counter-protesters. Some police responded to protests with instances of violence , including against reporters. At least 200 cities in the U.S. had imposed curfews by early June 2020, while more than 30 states and Washington, D.C. activated over 96,000 National Guard , State Guard , 82nd Airborne , and 3rd Infantry Regiment service members. The deployment, when combined with preexisting deployments related to

7040-423: The evening of June 25. Civil rights activists and protesters noted the forthcoming civil rights case against the four police officers at the scene of Floyd's murder, and the criminal case against former officers Kueng, Lane, and Thao scheduled for March 2022. Though the City of Minneapolis began the process of reopening the street intersection at George Floyd Square to vehicular traffic in June 2021, organizers of

7150-502: The fall election". Protests continued over the weekend of June 19 in many cities, and observations of Juneteenth gained a new awareness. Jon Batiste , bandleader for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert , took part in a Juneteenth day of protests, marches, rallies and vigils to "celebrate, show solidarity, and fight for equal rights and treatment of Black people" in Brooklyn . Batiste also appeared in concert with Matt Whitaker in

7260-480: The first chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police was formed in Pittsburgh. As a national organization, some of its lodges are independent municipal unions, but the FOP is not a labor union nor affiliated with any. It remains open to all levels of law enforcement members, including management. In June 1919 the American Federation of Labor began chartering local police organizations as affiliates. The first

7370-443: The freshly chartered Boston Police Department resulted in four days of public disorder, nine deaths, and widespread property damage. Woodrow Wilson declared that the strike was a "crime against civilization", and Calvin Coolidge telegrammed Gompers, "There is no right to strike against the public safety by anybody, anywhere, any time." For decades afterward, police and other public employees were prevented from organizing. Only in

7480-483: The gathering a riot and made five arrests. Most demonstrations—which included street marches, prayer services, and festivals—in the United States were peaceful. At many rallies, protesters expressed disappointment with the lack of change to policing policies and budgets, and some said they would continue protesting and advocating for their desired goals. Floyd's murder came as the global Black Lives Matter movement had been slowly building for years, but outrage over what

7590-671: The global protest movement begun by Floyd's murder did not advance. By late May 2021, Floyd's murder, and the video of it, had given way to a yearlong, nationwide movement featuring the largest mass protests in United States history. To commemorate the one-year anniversary of his murder in a several-day event titled "One Year, What's Changed", the George Floyd Memorial Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Floyd's family, planned marches and rallies in Minneapolis, New York, and Houston for May 23, 2021, and called for two days of virtual activism everywhere in

7700-531: The largest in United States history. As of July 3, protests were ongoing. On July 4, the Independence Day holiday in the United States, several protests were held, including in several cities where protests had been going on since the day after Floyd's murder. On July 20, the Strike for Black Lives , a mass walkout intended to raise awareness of systemic racism, featured thousands of workers across

7810-406: The location of Floyd's arrest and murder, and other sites in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota . Protests quickly spread nationwide and to over 2,000 cities and towns in over 60 countries in support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Polls in the summer of 2020 estimated that between 15 million and 26 million people had participated at some point in

7920-472: The man was in a nearby car. Officers approached the car and ordered George Floyd , a 46-year-old African American man, who according to police "appeared to be under the influence", to exit the vehicle, at which point he "physically resisted". According to the MPD, officers "were able to get the suspect into handcuffs, and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress. Officers called for an ambulance." Once Floyd

8030-488: The mind of real policemen every single day on the job. This is the best video I've ever seen telling the public the absolute truth." After the email was publicized, he said that sharing the video was an honest mistake, apologized to union members, and told the New York Post that "there is no one to blame but me for the video that was distributed." The SBA declined to discipline or criticize Mullins. In February 2020,

8140-473: The murder of George Floyd , a 46-year-old unarmed African American man, by city police during an arrest. They spread nationally and internationally. Veteran officer Derek Chauvin was recorded as kneeling on Floyd's neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds; Floyd complained of not being able to breathe, but three other officers looked on and prevented passersby from intervening. Chauvin and the other three officers involved were later arrested. In April 2021, Chauvin

8250-507: The nature of police unions, qualified immunity , and their continued viability in America. Additionally, the level of power commanded by police unions has been described by academics as "concerning" and "preventing justice" by way of preventing or impeding the public from examining the employment history of officers. These unions have also been identified as an ironic obstacle to the stated purpose of "to protect and serve". Academics cite

8360-434: The night of May 28, garnered significant national and international media attention. After state officials mobilized Minnesota National Guard troops in its largest deployment since World War II , the violent unrest subsided and mostly peaceful protests resumed. However, the violence by early June 2020 had resulted in two deaths, 604 arrests, an estimated $ 550 million in property damage to 1,500 locations, making

8470-537: The officer-involved shooting death of Sean Bell . In 2015, Mullins wrote a letter of protest to Google , complaining about a feature in the Waze traffic app that allows users to pinpoint the locations of police officers. He said that allowing users to "get alerts before they approach police" could put police officers at risk from criminals who will abuse the real-time data provided by Waze. In May 2016, Mullins called for Police Commissioner Bill Bratton to step down amid

8580-516: The official post-mortem declared Floyd's death a homicide . Video footage of Officer Derek Chauvin applying 8 minutes 15 seconds of sustained pressure to Floyd's neck generated global attention and raised questions about the use of force by law enforcement. On June 25, 2021, Chauvin was sentenced to 22 years and 6 months in prison with the possibility of supervised release after serving two-thirds of his sentence or 15 years for second-degree murder. Organized protests began in Minneapolis on May 26,

8690-461: The one-year anniversary of Floyd's murder in May 2021. Officials in Minnesota and elsewhere proactively mobilized counter-protest measures for Chauvin's trial, but it did not result in unrest like what happened immediately after Floyd's murder. Local officials in Minneapolis–Saint Paul prepared counter-protest measures in early 2022 for the start of the federal trial for the other three police officers at

8800-444: The other three officers were fired. Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter ; the former charge was later changed to second-degree murder . On June 1, a private autopsy commissioned by the family of Floyd found the death to be a homicide and that Floyd had died due to asphyxiation from sustained pressure, which conflicted with the original autopsy report done earlier that week. Shortly after,

8910-464: The outcome of the Derek Chauvin trial. On April 20, 2021, Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd. By then, Floyd's murder had resulted in one of the largest civil rights protest movements in recent decades, and the Minneapolis–Saint Paul region had experienced a prolonged series of protests and intermittent unrest over issues of police brutality and racial injustice. As news of

9020-628: The phrase became a protest slogan against police brutality. The murder of George Floyd sparked mass protests and calls for police reform in the face of ongoing police violence against African-Americans. Large companies such as Nike and Walmart aimed to express their support for the movement through branding themselves as antiracist. Despite some politicians expressing backlash for the Black Lives Matter protests, politicians such as Republican Senator Mitt Romney participated. The movement sought to express their understanding of police brutality as

9130-534: The police that Floyd is "not even resisting arrest right now", to which the police tell the bystanders that Floyd was "talking, he's fine". A bystander replies saying Floyd "ain't fine". A bystander then protests that the police were preventing Floyd from breathing, urging them to "get him off the ground ... You could have put him in the car by now. He's not resisting arrest or nothing." Floyd then goes silent and motionless. Chauvin does not remove his knee until an ambulance arrives. Emergency medical services put Floyd on

9240-557: The possibility of a military response. On June 10, thousands of academics, universities, scientific institutions, professional bodies and publishing houses around the world shut down to give researchers time to reflect and act upon anti-Black racism in academia. Organizations involved with #ShutDownSTEM day included Nature Research , Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the American Physical Society . On June 14, an estimated 15,000 people gathered outside

9350-405: The protest movement rooted there still considered their presence an "occupation" and "resistance". The square hosted a celebration of life for Floyd on October 14, 2021. By December 23, 2021, the occupied protest had persisted at George Floyd Square for 19 consecutive months. Activists in Minneapolis had vowed to continue protesting until the outcome of the criminal case of all involved officers at

9460-484: The protest rally turned into a march to the Minneapolis Police Department 's third precinct station where the officers were believed to work. After the main protest group disbanded on the night of May 26, a much smaller group, numbering in the hundreds, spray-painted the building, threw rocks and bottles, broke a window at the station, and vandalized a squad car. A skirmish soon broke out between

9570-590: The protester-held "autonomous zone" during an altercation on March 6, 2021. In March and April 2021, groups of protesters gathered at George Floyd Square and outside Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis during Chauvin's trial, but the streets of Minneapolis were largely empty of mass demonstrations like those in late May and early June 2020. In April 2021, 3,000 National Guard troops and law enforcement officers were called from neighboring states in preparation for potential unrest over

9680-599: The protests, three different police reform plans, plans from the Republicans, the Democrats, and the White House, were unveiled aiming to curb police brutality and the use of violence by law enforcement. On June 25, NPR reported that the hopes for passage were doubtful because they were "short-circuited by a lack of bipartisan consensus on an ultimate plan [and] the issue is likely stalled, potentially until after

9790-510: The request of the SBA executive board after the FBI raided his office and home. In February 2022, Mullins pled not guilty to a criminal charge of wire fraud for improper SBA expenses amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The SBA sued him in March and, in January 2023, Mullins pled guilty to the wire fraud charge and agreed to forfeit $ 600,000 to the government and restitution of $ 600,000 to

9900-499: The same time period, over $ 87 million was spent by police unions on lobbying and elections on the local level. In 1892, the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York (PBA) formed in New York City, originally as a fraternal organization. Today it represents about 24,000 of the department's 36,000 officers. Another 11,000 are represented by the Sergeants Benevolent Association . In 1915,

10010-471: The scene of Floyd's murder. Relatively small protests took place during the trial and after the verdict announcement. On May 25, 2021, the one-year anniversary of Floyd's murder, a number of protests took place; most of these were short-lived, with calm being restored on the early hours of May 26, 2021. While the nationwide protests ended, the occupation of George Floyd Square in Minneapolis–Saint Paul persisted into 2024, however as of 2022 vehicular traffic

10120-456: The scene of Floyd's murder. The criminal trial was scheduled to begin on June 13, 2022. In early 2022, local officials prepared counter-protest measures and for potential unrest ahead of the January 20 schedule start of the federal civil rights trial of Kueng, Lane, and Thao. Officials erected security fencing around the Warren E. Burger Federal Building in Saint Paul, Minnesota, that contained

10230-591: The scene six minutes after getting the call. Medics were unable to detect a pulse, and Floyd was pronounced dead at the hospital. A May 26 autopsy conducted by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office found that there were "no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation"; the preliminary findings stated that underlying health conditions, the police restraint, and potential intoxicants likely contributed to Floyd's death. On May 26, Chauvin and

10340-518: The stage for the catastrophic Boston Police Strike of 1919. The Boston force had informally organized since 1906 as the "Boston Social Club". They applied for an AFL charter, which was newly granted on August 15. The city and state, with shared oversight, both forbade this, and rejected a compromise. On September 9, some 72% of the police force refused to work. The city descended into four days and nights of lawlessness, with widespread property damage and nine killed outright, eight of them by members of

10450-523: The unrest. In Seattle , starting in early June, protesters occupied an area of several city blocks after the police vacated it, declaring it the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone , where according to protesters "the police are forbidden, food is free and documentaries are screened at night". On June 11, President Trump challenged mayor Jenny Durkan and governor Jay Inslee to "take back your city", and implying, according to Durkan,

10560-499: The vandals and protesters trying to stop them. At around 8 p.m., police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at demonstrators, some of whom had thrown water bottles at police officers. Protests were held at several locations throughout the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area in subsequent days. The situation escalated the nights of May 27 to 29 where widespread arson, rioting, and looting took place, which were noted as

10670-510: The view that the cards are designed to help certain people avoid minor citations. The legitimacy of the cards is a subject of debate with critics maintaining that it is a form of police corruption for officers to take them into consideration. A professor of police studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice has said of the system that "it sets up different sets of rules". In 2018, the number of PBA cards allotted per officer in New York

10780-437: The world and occurred during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic and amid the 2020 U.S. presidential election season. Protests continued through 2020 and into 2021, most notably in Minneapolis at the 38th and Chicago Avenue street intersection where Floyd was murdered that activists have referred to as George Floyd Square . Several demonstrations coincided with the criminal trial of Chauvin in March and April 2021 and

10890-413: Was a regular on the conservative talk-show circuit. In 2003, Mullins argued that police officers should be able to sue the estates of people they kill in shootings for emotional damages. The SBA fought against mandatory breathalyzer tests for officers who fire their weapons on the job. In 2006 Mullins and the SBA demanded an apology from Mayor Michael Bloomberg for saying that he was "deeply disturbed" by

11000-529: Was adorned with public art installments and described as like a " shrine ". Thousands of visitors protested and grieved at the site. When Minneapolis city officials attempted to negotiate the re-opening of the intersection in August 2020, protesters demanded that before removing cement barricades the city meet a list of 24 demands, which included holding the trial for the four officers present during Floyd's murder. On September 11, 2020, hundreds rallied outside

11110-507: Was also Chairman and Trustee to the union's Health Benefits Fund and Annuity Fund, and a Trustee for the New York City Police Pension Fund. Under Mullins the SBA fought fiercely against police reform and took a much more hard-line conservative position, making up for its small size with aggressive messaging and extreme rhetoric. The SBA has made extensive use of both social media and traditional media; Mullins

11220-536: Was captured in a bystander's video and Floyd's dying words, "I can't breathe", resulted in solidarity protests in more than 50 countries and led to what was described as a "social awakening" on issues of racial injustice and brought renewed attention on past police brutality cases. Protests in Canada, Europe, Oceania, Asia, and Africa rallied against what they perceived as racial discrimination and police brutality, with some protests aimed at United States embassies. Over

11330-399: Was final as J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao still awaited trial, and issues of systemic racism and police reform had not been addressed satisfactorily. George Floyd Square occupation protest organizers, who had transformed the street intersection where Floyd was murdered into an "autonomous zone" adorned with public art, said they would continue to protest. Activists changed

11440-471: Was finally allowed to pass through it. On May 2, 2023, Tou Thao was found guilty of aiding and abetting manslaughter—the last federal or state court case related to Floyd's murder. The conviction fulfilled a key demand of protesters that all four police officers be held legally accountable for murdering George Floyd. The protest at George Floyd Square continued into 2024. Cases of police misconduct and fatal use of force by law enforcement officers in

11550-399: Was found guilty of second-degree murder , third-degree murder , and second-degree manslaughter . In June 2021, Chauvin was sentenced to 22 + 1 ⁄ 2 years in prison. The George Floyd protest movement began hours after his murder as bystander video and word of mouth began to spread. Protests first emerged at the East 38th and Chicago Avenue street intersection in Minneapolis,

11660-423: Was handcuffed, officers Kueng and Lane attempted to help Floyd to their squad car, but at 8:14 p.m., Floyd stiffened up and fell to the ground. MPD Officers Derek Chauvin and Tou Thao then arrived and made more failed attempts to get Floyd into the squad car. Floyd, who was still handcuffed, went to the ground face down. Officer Kueng held Floyd's back and Lane held his legs. Chauvin placed his left knee in

11770-601: Was later taken down. In July 2020, during an interview with Fox News, Mullins appeared with a QAnon mug in the background. In a phone call with Business Insider , he refused to clarify whether it was his or whether he endorsed the QAnon conspiracy theories. This was not the first time the mug, which featured the word QANON and the hashtag WWG1WGA , had appeared at Mullin's side in an interview. In September 2020, Mullins supported Attorney General William Barr 's description of New York as an "anarchist city." Mullins said, "Barr

11880-493: Was lowered from 30 to 20. This was in response to many of them appearing for sale online. The New York Times prohibits its journalists from accepting the cards out of concerns that doing so would prevent them from covering the police objectively. In May 2023, NYPD officer Mathew Bianchi filed a lawsuit against his police captain and the City of New York , claiming the police department retaliated against him for his opposition to

11990-406: Was read. George Floyd Square in Minneapolis continued to be a place of protest for over two years after Floyd's murder, with the movement there persisting into 2023. On May 2, 2023, Tou Thao was found guilty of aiding and abetting manslaughter, which marked the conclusion of all state and federal court cases for the four Minneapolis police officers. Thao's conviction signaled that a key demand of

12100-405: Was the police force of Knoxville, Tennessee , followed by cities such as Cincinnati, Washington DC, Los Angeles, St. Paul, Fort Worth, and Boston. By September it had granted charters to police unions in 37 cities, over the protests of city officials reluctant to allow unionized public employees, and the protests of existing union members resistant to admitting police to their ranks. This set

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