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>>novia+(OP)
Probably a bit of a controversial opinion but in some cases I can sympathize with the police officers. The reality is that the vast majority of them likely condemn the events around George Floyd's death. They are also regular people with families, children and friends they have to provide for. And they have the exact same problems that many of us do. Their daily work involves keeping things in order, which is something I respect. That said, the first video I opened at random[1] shows a small number of people blocking a road in what looks more like a civil war scene rather than a protest. And the authorities are greeted with "F-U" and people tossing objects at them. The people in uniforms are ordinary people. Put yourself in their shoes and tell me: having all the problems you have, seeing all the destruction, which in all cases is no longer a protest, people shouting "f-u" and throwing stuff at you: You can be the most mentally stable human being but everyone has a limit. Many of those men are possibly working overtime, in extreme conditions and I bet they would much rather be with their kids or sick parents for instance. With this idea in mind, I personally can't picture myself being able to remain calm and not overstep my boundaries sooner or later.

Now putting myself in the shoes of the protesters: seeing the same destruction, destroying of properties, cars and businesses, I'll call it a day because this is no longer a protest. I'd go back home and wait for this to be taken care of and join a civilized protest once this has been taken care of. A civilized country should be able to hold a civilized protest. And having spent most of my life in eastern Europe, you can say I know a thing or two about protests. Last large protest I was a part of was in ~2013 irrc and the aftermath was very different. The night after each of those protests, everything was spotless clean, people thew all their garbage in the bins, nothing broken or destroyed. People were coming with their children and pets and being completely comfortable with it. There was a completely unrelated incident of a gas explosion at a Chinese restaurant, which burned a nearby shop. People gathered donations fo the shop owner to recover. Incidents with police? Practically none during ~3 months of daily protest. And we are talking eastern Europe - the police officers are anything but the nicest people on the planet.

[1] https://twitter.com/XruthxNthr/status/1266903223220097024

>>axegon+3a
> A civilized country should be able to hold a civilized protest.

The protests started out peaceful but became less peaceful when the police showed up and tear gassed innocent crowds. There's people literally getting arrested for practicing their right to assemble and right to freedom of speech.

>>miguel+Ga
I witnessed this in Portland over the last 5 days.

The Portland police bureau came out to the game locked and loaded, full riot gear, trucks modified to hold ten cops hanging on the outside, tear gas, flash bangs, pepper balls, rubber bullets, riot batons, helicopters, spotlights. And, they decide to starts gassing protesters half an hour before curfew begins...

Protests started loud but moderately peaceful; no thrown objects, no fires, no damaged buildings. Cops tear gas and shoot them for "obstructing traffic". After a few hours of this, the crowd starts throwing water bottles, breaking windows, hurling the tear gas grenades back. This back and forth goes on through Sunday night.

Portland mayor Ted Wheeler gets a LOT of flack from important people who spent their weekend coughing on tear gas and waking up to sirens, painful screaming, and flashbangs, instead of drinking fine wine at nice restaurants and walking the Pearl District. He tells the cops no more violent riot control measures.

Monday night hits, something like 10,000 protesters take the streets and bridges, organized, geared up with cones, leaf blowers, shields, gas masks, body armor. The cops stay put. They don't even come out of their staging area. Protesters spend the evening chanting, talking to passersby, and policing bald headed agent provacateurs wearing German camo to hide their swastika tats. It was beautiful, the air was breathable, and there were no reports of looting or damage.