Amnesty International accuses US police of gross human rights violations

Amnesty International, while condemning the violent approach of the US police in the face of anti-racism demonstrations, has called the violation of the right to freedom of expression and assembly in the United States worrying.

Amnesty International has documented cases of police brutality against peaceful anti-racism protests in the US in an investigative report. The report highlights that police have again resorted to force during violent protest rallies.

Examples of this violence include beatings of demonstrators, the use of chemical agents such as pepper spray and tear gas, and shooting.

Amnesty International has called these measures a worrying approach to the "right to life, personal security, and the rule of law" and a denial of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

The report cited “disproportionate and often excessive violence” in 40 US states, including Washington, which resulted in 125 cases. The victims of clashes, tear gas, or rubber bullets were not just protesters, but also journalists and emergency workers.

Amnesty International has particularly condemned the use of tear gas or pepper spray during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that protesters have been forced to remove their masks to wash their faces.

This report is based on interviews and testimonies of 50 people who were among the protesters and experienced such violence.

"The excessive and disproportionate use of violence against protesters in the US stems from the impunity of violent officers and the institutionalization of racism among US police," says Katharina Massoud, a US expert at Amnesty International's German branch.

Ms. Massoud believes that the approach of American police towards demonstrators must fundamentally change, both at the local and federal levels: "Deploying officers like what happened in Portland is not the solution."

Amnesty International has called on the US Congress to pass a bill to protect protesters, so that officers responsible for assaults and the use of force against people are held accountable under the law, and that the affected individuals receive the necessary protection.

The organization says more than 1,000 people are killed by police in the United States each year, but because the government does not collect data, the exact number of victims is unknown: "Statistically, there is also a disproportionate number of black people among those killed."

A moving death

The killing of George Floyd, a black American citizen, by a white police officer has sparked a storm of anger and anti-racism protests in the United States. The police officer pinned Floyd to the ground, his hands in handcuffs, and placed his knee on his neck to prevent him from moving. The pressure of the knee and the disregard for Floyd's cries for help, who could not breathe, led to a death that shook America and brought people to the streets.

This incident highlighted the debate over racism in America and police brutality, and gave rise to the slogan "Black Lives Matter."

However, the police treated the demonstrators and their peaceful protests with violence and threats. Critics of Donald Trump have blamed his positions, including calling the protesters "terrorists," for escalating the violence during the anti-racism demonstrations.

Source: DW