Police Riots

Police riots are riots that are instigated or escalated by police officers. Police riots have dated back to the 1860’s, but the most recent ones happened due to the death of George Flyod. After the killing of an innocent man, people were enraged and many cities rioted. It had gotten to the point where they had to be put on a curfew. 

 During a riot, in Buffalo, NY, police officers pushed a 75 year old man, Martin Gugino, causing him head trauma when he hit his head on the pavement and began bleeding. According to the CBC News, all 57 members of the Buffalo Police Department Emergency Response Team resigned from the unit after the officers who assaulted the man were suspended. 

 Tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets, which are usually reserved for rioters, were turned on innocent protestors. There are multiple videos that surfaced on the internet of police officers using brute force to arrest protestors. The Brooklyn police captain, Terence A. Monahan,  eventually came out with a statement saying that they were sorry, and that it was “unwarranted actions” and that they had violated their rights in one of their riots where police had turned.

“After seeing all the news stories it has made me lose hope in the judicial system,” said Cyrus Elmore, 12. “The police are here to protect us, instead they are causing innocent people to be harmed.”

In response to violence many considered to be started by police officers, protestors spray painted ACAB, an anti-police slogan, on police buildings, cars, and on streets. When the riots happen, many people believe police officers just need to find a better way to diffuse the situations.