The brutal killing of African-American man George Floyd by a white police officer who refused to remove his knee from his neck despite his pleas sparked a massive riot in the city of Minneapolis. The National Guard had been sent to restore control to a city which is now the stage of a modern race-riot.
In an act of solidarity, bus drivers in the city refused to help police detain protesters and send them to prison believing the protest is a just one and that the police, in this case, are in the wrong, Yahoo news reported.
The driver's union, ATU Local 1005, issued an official statement of solidarity with the protest and some drivers refused to service the police. The union is unable to call for an official strike for legal reasons.
“An injury to one is an injury to all”, said bus driver Adam Bruch, “police murdered George Floyd and the protest against is completely justified and should continue until their demands are met."
The Union issued an official statement in which it said:” We say "NOT ONE MORE" [to the] execution of a black life by the hands of the police. NOT ONE MORE! JUSTICE FOR GEORGE FLOYD!”
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who pinned his knee on George Floyd's throat before he died, has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder, Mike Freeman, Hennepin County attorney, told a news briefing. This comes after three nights of violent protests in the Midwestern city sparked by the death.
"He is in custody and has been charged with murder," Freeman said of Chauvin, who is white. "We have evidence, we have the citizen's video, the horrible, horrific, terrible thing we've seen over and over again."