The deaths of George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks are among those that have sparked outrage among citizens calling out racial injustice. The protests spread not only in the United States but also around the world, taking officials and public servants by storm and forcing them to take another look at their laws and regulations.
An act of kindness
In London, a black man was seen carrying a white man in the middle of an angry crowd protesting against police brutality on African-American citizens, as reported by CNN.
The black man, Patrick Hutchinson, said that the act was made to avoid a catastrophe, where he added that he did not want the aim of the protests to be lost in a single moment of violence.
Hutchinson told reporters that his real aim was to avoid a catastrophe and immediately, the narrative became "Black Lives Matters, Youngsters Kill Protesters," He said that was the message they wanted to steer away from.
The man, Hutchinson said, was initially lying on the ground curled up in a fetal position while protesters stood around him.
With no knowledge of the white man's intention in being in the area, whether he was an anti-protester or held a grudge, Hutchinson attempted to get him to safety.
On Saturday, after the violence thinned down, authorities arrested more than 100 people in London when far-right groups focused their attacks on BLM movements.
Hutchinson explained that he, along with his friends, formed a protective ring around the injured man, and he proceeded to carry him on his shoulder. As they were walking towards the police, some people were still trying to deal blows to the victim.
"I am carrying him; my friends are protecting myself and the man on my shoulder. He was still receiving blows, you can feel people trying to hit him," Hutchinson added. He also noted that when he got to the officers, he put the man down and the police thanked him for the good that he did.
Also Read: Rayshard Brooks Video Shows Events Leading to Fatal Shooting By Atlanta Police Officers
Reaching across the globe
The Black Lives Matter movement had extended its reach to Tokyo, Japan, where thousands of protesters marched together in the capital on Sunday. The crowd gathered to call out racism and police violence and to spread awareness of the seemingly ignored racial discrimination in the country.
According to the Japan Times, there were more than 3,500 protesters present in the demonstration who marched from Yoyogi Park and eventually making their way through Shibuya's scramble crossing. The protesters could be seen holding signs that state racism is the actual pandemic and that enough is enough.
The main organizer and founder of the movement in Tokyo, 19-year-old Sierra Todd, said they stood in solidarity with the protesters in the United States. She also stated that their goal is to have the march pave a way into opening up discussions about racism in Japan.
Todd hopes that she can change the perspective of black people in Japan by conducting demonstrations and creating a diverse community of individuals and make themselves more visible to the world.
The youth added that most people who have not experienced criticisms or demonization would not be able to sympathize with the victims. However, she urges everyone to take small steps in learning about the problems and talking with other people about their experiences and what they are feeling.
Reforming the current system
The death of Brooks and Floyd have sparked officials to re-assess allowing police officers to use deadly force during arrests. The movements have challenged long-standing policies that have enabled officers to neglect responsibility in incidents that have resulted in deaths, as reported by The New York Times.
Amid the surge of protests against police brutality, the guiding principles that have stood in place for years are starting to fall apart piece by piece at a rapid rate, says police and legal experts.
A law professor at the University of South Carolina, Seth Stoughton, said that in the past two weeks, he had witnessed more reforms of force laws being conducted than ever before.
George Washinton University law professor, Cynthia Lee, notes that while reforming the current system might not hold all the answers, it could help shift the culture into a better direction. She hopes that officers become more careful when dealing with tense situations and see suspects as human beings and not enemies.
