Black activists believe the police killing of George Floyd and the nationwide civil unrest that followed could be the catalyst for overhauling the criminal justice system.
Following Saturday’s massive demonstrations against racism and police brutality, some are pushing for incremental change, such as requiring more rigorous training, reviewing policies and mandating that officers live in the communities in which they work to deepen their relationship with residents.
But others are advocating for more sweeping responses, such as defunding law enforcement agencies or even dismantling police departments.
Tens of thousands of people marched in places from coast to coast Saturday in what was perhaps the largest one-day mobilisation since Floyd died on May 25. “What we’re facing is a real reckoning on a lot of levels,” said Alicia Garza, co-founder of Black Lives Matter.
“This (coronavirus) pandemic pulled back the curtains on decades of disinvestment, decades of devaluing and also now one of the major issues that black communities face is violence at the hands of the police.”
Many activists believe the unrest could be an opportunity to press Democratic leadership, including presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden, to address criminal justice in a deeper way.