houston - Bad Sporters https://www.badsporters.com News Blogging About Athletes Being Caught Up Tue, 09 Jun 2020 06:05:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 Live updates: George Floyd memorials reach his hometown of Houston https://www.badsporters.com/2020/06/09/live-updates-george-floyd-memorials-reach-his-hometown-of-houston/ https://www.badsporters.com/2020/06/09/live-updates-george-floyd-memorials-reach-his-hometown-of-houston/#respond Tue, 09 Jun 2020 06:05:25 +0000 https://badsporters.com/?p=7095   11:55 PM New York lawmakers pass anti-chokehold bill named for Eric Garner The New York State Assembly on Monday passed the Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act. The act passed both houses of the New York State Legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo has indicated he will sign it into law. Named for Eric Garner, who was killed […]

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New York lawmakers pass anti-chokehold bill named for Eric Garner

The New York State Assembly on Monday passed the Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act. The act passed both houses of the New York State Legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo has indicated he will sign it into law.

Named for Eric Garner, who was killed in 2014 after being placed in a chokehold by an NYPD officer, the bill criminalizes the use of chokeholds that result in injury or death. The use of chokeholds by the NYPD had already been banned in 1993.

Read more here.

 

Virginia work crew trying to decide how to remove Robert E. Lee statue

A state work crew in Virginia spent Monday morning trying to figure out exactly how to remove the huge statue of Robert E. Lee from Richmond’s Monument Avenue. State officials say they need some time to plan the removal, since the massive statue of the Confederate general weighs about 12 tons and has been on a 40-foot pedestal for 130 years. 

Governor Ralph Northam ordered the monument’s removal amid sustained protests against police brutality. City leaders have committed meanwhile to taking down another four Confederate memorials along Richmond’s Monument Avenue.

 

More than 6,000 people pay tribute to George Floyd in Houston

At least 6,362 people paid tribute to George Floyd at a southwest Houston church on Monday, organizers told CBS affiliate KHOU-TV.

George Floyd Memorial
Mourners wait in line to view the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation Monday, June 8, 2020, at the Fountain of Praise church in Houston.

Godofredo A. Vasquez/Houston Chronicle via AP


 

Crews removing plywood from Minnesota businesses as protests subside

Crews are busy removing thousands of sheets of protective plywood which covered plate-glass storefronts across the Twin Cities.

“Now it’s coming down,” explains construction worker Luke Pearson.

He and his fellow construction crews are taking down what they two weeks ago began putting up.

“We did four to five buildings down here, and a bunch along Lake Street,” adds Pearson. “It was non-stop for a week.”

Block after block of businesses appear covered with pristine plywood sheeting. Yet with even just a few small screw holes piercing each panel, the sheeting can’t be returned to stores. Instead, much of the plywood will be put in storage or sold as salvage construction material.

“We’re going to call it, Los Andes Latin Bistro,” explains an excited, Guillermo Quito.

He was supervising work on his long-delayed dream. At the former Dulono’s Pizza on Lake Street, Quito will finally get to open his new South American restaurant. It’s coming a full eight months after purchasing and remodeling the building.

Read more from CBS Minnesota.

 

New Orleans’ Superdome to glow crimson and gold to honor George Floyd

New Orleans’ mayor said the Superdome would glow crimson and gold — the colors of George Floyd’s high school — Monday night as a tribute to him and a call for racial equality.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell said Superdome administrators agreed to her lighting request — which in turn was made at the request of Sylvester Turner, mayor of Houston, where Floyd grew up and where his funeral was held Tuesday.

Crimson and gold are the colors of Houston’s Yates High School, where Floyd graduated.

“As we continue to mourn the loss of George Floyd, along with others who have been the victim of violence by police officers, we will seek to remember him and honor his memory,” Cantrell said.

“Last week, we showed the world that we can march, protest and be heard, and do so peacefully and respectfully. We will continue to demand justice and ensure that our police officers remain a positive presence in our own community.”

 

Former Vice President Joe Biden visits George Floyd’s family in Houston

Former Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden met met with George Floyd’s family in Houston on Monday for about an hour in Houston.

Below, an image that was shared online shows Biden, Reverend Al Sharpton, civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump and George Floyd’s brother Roger.

Biden will be interviewed by “CBS This Morning” co-host Gayle King in Tuesday night’s special “Justice for All” at 10 p.m. ET on CBS and CBSN.

 

Families of George Floyd, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin among those who spoke at public memorial

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump and the families of Pamela Turner, Trayvon Martin, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner, Botham Jean, Pamela Turner and Michael Brown addressed the crowd at a public memorial for George Floyd in Houston on Monday.

Watch their remarks below:


News conference: Families of Pamela Turner, George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner by
KHOU 11 on
YouTube

 

June 9 will be George Floyd Day in Harris County, Texas

Texas judge Lina Hidalgo tweeted that June 9 will be known as George Floyd Day in Harris County, Texas.

“We must never forget the name George Floyd or the global movement he has inspired,” she wrote.

 

National Park Service says new fence in front of White House protest area is temporary

White House fence covered with posters and messages of hope

The National Park Service is calling a newly erected fence in front of a White House protest area temporary.

Park Service spokeswoman Katie Liming said Monday that her agency and the Secret Service expect to reopen part of Lafayette Park in front of the White House on Wednesday.

Liming says some areas of the park will remain closed to allow workers to deal with damage and address safety hazards. Liming gave no details and no time for when the rest of the square would reopen.

Lafayette Park in front of the White House is one of the country’s most prominent sites for political protests and other free-speech events.

Lafayette Park
The steel fence at Lafayette Park has become a makeshift memorial at 16th street after “Defund The Police” was painted on the street near the White House on June 8, 2020, in Washington, D.C.

Tasos Katopodis / Getty


It’s been closed off since early last week, when law officers used chemical agents and other force to drive out protesters in the nationwide rallies against police brutality.

Authorities left a newly erected high black fence blocking the square, even though recent protests have been overwhelmingly calm.

Liming says the Washington Ellipse, Sherman Park and some other landmark areas also will reopen Wednesday.

 

Black legislators in Pennsylvania commandeer House to demand changes to policing

Black Democrats in the Pennsylvania House preempted the day’s business to call for changes to policing, displaying a Black Lives Matter banner and commandeering the podium for about 90 minutes at the start of a voting session Monday.

The dramatic takeover went on pause when the Republican speaker said that he would consider putting proposals up for votes and that he supports a special session the protesters had sought to consider the legislation.

The protesters unfurled the banner at the dais and vowed they would not leave without movement on proposals to ban chokeholds, improve tracking of officers who have engaged in misconduct, and widen access to police video.

“We’re going to stay here until you act,” said Representative Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia. “This is our moment to say, ‘Enough is enough.'”

Representative Steven Kinsey, D-Philadelphia, said he was “frustrated, upset and feeling as though I’m carrying the weight of black folks on my shoulders.”

“We cannot rewrite history,” said Kinsey, chair of the Legislative Black Caucus. “However, black and brown folks refuse to relive history.”

 

St. Paul resident charged with arson related to Minneapolis precinct fire

United States Attorney Erica MacDonald announced Monday that Brandon Michael Wolfe, 23, has been charged with aiding and abetting arson of the Minneapolis police department’s 3rd Precinct. The precinct was burned during a May 28 protest.

According to a statement from MacDonald’s office, Wolfe was arrested Wednesday when he tried to break into a home improvement store that he had apparently been fired from earlier in the day.

“At the time of the arrest, Wolfe was wearing multiple items stolen from the Third Precinct, including body armor, a police-issue duty belt with handcuffs, an earphone piece, baton, and knife,” the statement continued. “Wolfe’s name was handwritten in duct tape on the back of the body armor. Law enforcement later recovered from Wolfe’s apartment additional items belonging to the Minneapolis Police Department, including a riot helmet, 9mm pistol magazine, police radio, and police issue overdose kit”

Wolfe admitted to being inside the 3rd Precinct the night it was burned and even identified pictures of himself at the scene to police during his interview. Wolfe also admitted to pushing a wooden barrel into the fire, “knowing that it would help keep the fire burning.”

Wolfe is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday afternoon.

 

Los Angeles protesters won’t face charges for breaking curfew, failing to disperse

Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey and City Attorney Mike Feur announced Monday that they will not file charges against peaceful protesters arrested for defying the city’s curfew or failing to disperse, CBS Los Angeles reports. Thousands of people have been arrested over the last two weeks in LA while protesting.

“I want to encourage the exchange of ideas and work to establish dialogue between law enforcement and protesters so that we may implement enduring systemic change,” Lacey said in a statement.

In a statement of his own, Feur explained, “Peaceful protest is profoundly important, and these protests have rekindled a long-overdue effort to change hearts, minds and institutions.”

 

Possible hate crime charges in car attack on protesters

A Virginia prosecutor says a man accused of driving a truck through a crowd of peaceful protesters on a Richmond-area roadway Sunday is an “admitted” Ku Klux Klan leader. Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor said in a statement Monday that she is considering filing hate crime charges against Harry H. Rogers, who is already charged with assault and battery, attempted malicious wounding and felony vandalism.

Taylor said Rogers, 36, was driving recklessly on a median Sunday evening in Lakeside where a group of people had gathered to protest the death of George Floyd. Witnesses said the truck revved its engine before driving into the crowd, according to Taylor. No one was seriously injured.

“The accused, by his own admission and by a cursory glance at social media, is an admitted leader of the Ku Klux Klan and a propagandist for Confederate ideology. We are investigating whether hate crimes charges are appropriate,” Taylor said in the statement.

The person who called police to report the incident refused medical treatment at the scene.

Taylor called the attack “heinous and despicable,” noting the deadly 2017 car attack on a group of people protesting racism in Charlottesville. The attacker in that case, James Alex Fields Jr., an admitted white supremacist, was sentenced to serve life in prison.

Rogers appeared in Henrico County court Monday and was denied bail by a judge, CBS affiliate WTVR reports.

 

White House says reducing immunity for cops who violate civil rights is non-starter

The White House isn’t saying what kind of policing reforms President Trump will support at this point, but there is at least one non-starter — reducing immunity for police who violate civil rights. 

The doctrine of qualified immunity largely shields government officials, including police officers, from liability for conduct on the job unless they violate “clearly established” constitutional rights. Ending it would make it easier for individuals to hold police accountable. House Democrats and independent Representative Justin Amash have introduced a bill that would end the doctrine. And meanwhile, the Supreme Court is considering reviewing the constitutionality of qualified immunity. 

Following nearly two weeks of civil unrest throughout the nation in the wake of George Floyd’s death, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the president is “talking through a number of proposals” but declined to mention any specific measure, except for the president’s opposition to ending qualified immunity. 

McEnany was asked during a White House briefing Monday whether the president supports any of the policing reform proposals put forward by Democrats. The bill, led by the Congressional Black Caucus, was announced in a press conference with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senators Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, and other congressional Democrats on Monday morning. The legislation is 136 pages and includes reforms to make it easier to prosecute police officers for misconduct in civil court.

“He hasn’t reviewed it yet. He’s looking at a number of proposals,” McEnany said. “But there are some non-starters in there, I would say, particularly on the immunity issue. You had AG Barr saying this weekend he was asked about reduced immunity and he said, ‘I don’t think we need to reduce immunity to go after the bad cops because that would result certainly in police pulling back,’ which is not advisable.”

Read more here.

 

Portland police chief resigns amid protests

The police chief in Portland, Oregon, resigned Monday and asked an African American lieutenant to fill the position, CBS affiliate KOIN-TV reports.

Jami Resch announced her resignation at a news conference meant to provide an update on the city’s response to protests across the city. 

“I have asked Chuck Lovell to step into the role as chief of the Police Bureau,” Resch said, The Oregonian reported. “He’s the exact right person at the exact right moment.”

Read more here.

 

Texas governor pays respects at service for Floyd

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has paid his respects with hundreds of people mourning the death of George Floyd at a church in Houston, where Floyd grew up. The Republican governor looked at Floyd’s body in a gold-colored casket at The Fountain of Praise church Monday for about 15 seconds, then lowered his head with his hands folded for several seconds more.

Abbott told reporters outside the church that he will include Floyd’s family in discussions about police reform and any related legislation.

“George Floyd is going to change the arc of the future of the United States. George Floyd has not died in vain. His life will be a living legacy about the way that America and Texas responds to this tragedy,” Abbott said.

Abbott said he planned to meet privately with Floyd’s family and present them with a Texas flag that was flown over the state Capitol in Floyd’s honor. The governor wore a striped crimson and gold tie, which he said was in honor of Floyd as those are the colors of Floyd’s high school.

Floyd, who was black and handcuffed, died May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped responding. His death has inspired international protests.

 

Judge sets conditional bail of $1 million for ex-officer charged in George Floyd’s death

Derek Chauvin, the white former Minneapolis police officer charged with murder in the death of George Floyd, had his first court appearance Monday. A judge set an unconditional bail at $1.25 million or $1 million with conditions. 

Chauvin who was seen on a disturbing video pressing his knee into the handcuffed black man’s neck for nearly nine minutes, is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Chauvin appeared in Hennepin County court via a video feed Monday afternoon, wearing an orange jumpsuit and a blue mask, with his hands cuffed.

Matthew Frank, a Minnesota assistant attorney general, asked for a significant amount of bail because of the severity of the charges and the “strength of the community’s opinion,” and because he said Chauvin is likely to flee. The $1 million conditional bail requires Chauvin to appear for all future court appearances, not to work in a security capacity and to have no firearms or firearms permit.

Chauvin’s attorney didn’t contest the bail and asked to address bail issues at a later date. The next court hearing was set for June 29.

derek-chauvin-court-appearance-01.png
Derek Chauvin, 44, made his first court appearance Monday, June 8, 2020, via video.

Cedric Hohnstadt


 

Adrian Peterson says NFL players are “all ready to take a knee together” during national anthem

NFL veteran Adrian Peterson said that when the season begins he and other players plan on taking a knee together during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice. His comments come as protests have spread over the death of George Floyd.

The Washington running back told the Houston Chronicle that players throughout the league are planning to take a knee when the “Star Spangled Banner” starts playing. 

“Just four years ago, you’re seeing (Colin) Kaepernick taking a knee, and now we’re all getting ready to take a knee together going into this season, without a doubt,” Peterson said Friday.

Peterson, the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 2012, told the Chronicle that the league has “evolved” in its understanding of social justice and racial issues since Colin Kaepernick began his protests in 2016. Now, Peterson believes it will be a league-wide team effort to make a difference.

“We’ve got to put the effort in as a group collectively,” he said. “Are they going to try to punish us all? If not, playing football is going to help us save lives and change things, then that’s what it needs to be.”

 

New York City to cut NYPD budget, shift money to social services

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on cutting NYPD funding

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city will cut some funding for the NYPD and redirect it to youth and social services. The anticipated budget cuts to the country’s largest police force come after more than a week of massive protests demanding an end to police brutality and racial injustice.

De Blasio, a Democrat, announced the cuts and several other changes to police enforcement at his daily press conference on Sunday.

“We’re committed to seeing a shift of funding to youth services, to social services, that will happen literally in the course of the next three weeks,” he said.

De Blasio did not specify how much NYPD funding would be cut or specifically where the money will go, but he said the details are being negotiated and will be worked out before the city budget deadline on July 1. 

 

Ex-officer charged in George Floyd’s death to face judge

The white former Minneapolis police officer charged with murder in the death of George Floyd will face a judge Monday.

Derek Chauvin, who was seen on a disturbing video pressing his knee into the handcuffed black man’s neck for nearly nine minutes, is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. 

Chauvin is expected to appear in Hennepin County Court remotely via a video feed Monday afternoon.  

Three other former officers, J. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao, are charged with aiding and abetting in Floyd’s death. Last week, they were ordered held on $750,000 bond. All four officers have been fired.

 

Marine veteran stands in heat with “I can’t breathe” taped on mouth

In a striking silent protest, a U.S. Marine veteran stood in full uniform outside of the Utah State Capitol on Friday for three hours, in the heat, with tape over his mouth. A message was written on the black tape that covered his lips: “I can’t breathe.”

Those were the words George Floyd pleaded as a Minneapolis police officer kept a knee on his neck for more than eight minutes, leading to Floyd’s death last month.

On Thursday, thousands of protesters attended a demonstration at the Utah State Capitol. The next day, the Marine, Todd Winn, demonstrated alone in the same spot. Photographer Robin Pendergrast captured photos of his solitary protest, which quickly went viral.

Marine holds silent protest outside Utah State Capitol

 

Pedestrian dies after being struck by car during California protest

A person who ran across a roadway and was struck by a vehicle during a nighttime protest march in Bakersfield last week has died, police said. The pedestrian, who was struck Wednesday night, died Saturday, police said in a statement.

The person’s identity was not immediately released by the Kern County coroner’s office.

The Police Department said it was aware of social media posts by people claiming to be witnesses and expressing beliefs that the pedestrian was struck intentionally, but that only a few people provided statements to investigators.

The collision occurred as a group protesting the death of George Floyd marched on one side of an avenue while traffic flowed the opposite direction on the other side of a center median.

 

George Floyd’s golden casket arrives for Houston viewing

The body of George Floyd arrived at Fountains of Praise church in a golden casket for Monday’s public viewing in Houston, CBS affiliate KHOU reports. A six-hour viewing for Floyd is planned for Monday in Houston, followed by funeral services and burial Tuesday in suburban Pearland.  He will be laid to rest next to his mother, Larcenia Floyd.

George Floyd Memorials
The casket of George Floyd arrives for a public memorial at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston, Monday, June 8, 2020. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis Police officers on May 25.

Eric Gay / AP


Hundreds of people are already lined up for the viewing, the station reported. More than a dozen shuttles are being used in rotation to transport mourners to and from the church, which is located in southwest Houston.

Previous memorials were held for Floyd in Minneapolis and Raeford, North Carolina, near where he was born.
 
Floyd was raised in Houston’s Third Ward and was a well-known former high school football player who rapped with local legend DJ Screw. He moved to Minneapolis several years ago to seek work and a fresh start.  

 

What the U.S. can learn from South Africa’s reckoning with racism

Less than 30 years ago, South Africa was a global pariah. Racism was not only legal, but entrenched in its system of apartheid. That system was eventually dismantled in 1994 through a negotiated settlement. Under then-President Mandela, the country began a process of truth telling in a bid to heal the wounds of the past.

South Africa’s struggle to deal with its racist past may hold important lessons for the U.S. now, both in terms of what has been done right, where it has gone wrong, and where there is still work to do.

South Africa confronts racism with truth

 

4 U.S. police chiefs on the need for change: “There’s a lot of silence from our profession”

Protesters, who have flooded the streets across the U.S. following the killing of George Floyd have demanded an end to police brutality and the defunding of police forces.

The heads of four police departments — Dallas, Texas Police Chief Reneé Hall; Santa Cruz, California Police Chief Andrew Mills; Camden, New Jersey Police Chief Joseph Wysocki and Raleigh, North Carolina Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown — spoke with “CBS This Morning” co-host Gayle King about the flaws in the system and the need for change.

Click here to read part of their conversation, beginning with their reactions to the video of Floyd’s death.

4 police chiefs on systemic racism, police brutality and much-needed change

 

U.S. protests prompt calls for Britain to tackle its own systemic racism

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across the United Kingdom again over the weekend in solidarity with protesters in the United States, but also to demand an end to systemic racism in Britain. The marches came after an enormous protest last Wednesday in Hyde Park.

“The U.K. is not innocent,” was written on placards and chanted by marchers who flooded into the streets, bringing traffic to a standstill in central London.

The protests sparked by George Floyd’s death have fueled demands for Britain to acknowledge its own history of racism and tackle prejudice in its own institutions.

“We’re here about the systematic racism against people of color and minorities in general around the world, not just in America,” Black Lives Matter protester, TJ, told CBS News at the protest in Hyde Park on Wednesday.

“This is a system at play that has subjugated African Americans, Africans, people of color for years,” he said, pointing specifically to the 2011 killing of 29-year-old Mark Duggan, a black man fatally shot by London police whose death triggered nationwide rioting.

 

Mitt Romney marches with Black Lives Matter protesters, becoming first GOP senator to join them

Mitt Romney marched with Black Lives Matter protesters in Washington D.C. on Sunday, appearing to be the first Republican senator to participate in the protests. The Utah senator joined demonstrators who were protesting police brutality and racial injustice in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death.

He posted a selfie showing him with a face mask among a crowd. He captioned his post: “Black Lives Matter.” 

 

Couple celebrates wedding among thousands of protesters in Philadelphia

A bride and groom in Philadelphia celebrated their union amid a protest for racial justice on Saturday. Dr. Kerry-Anne Gordon and Michael Gordon were taking photographs on their wedding day and decided to join the march near Logan Square.

The newlyweds left the Logan Hotel, Kerry-Anne in her white gown and Michael in his tux, and were greeted by thousands of protesters, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

The protest turned into an impromptu wedding party as demonstrators chanted and cheered for the Gordons, video taken by their officiant, Reverend Roxanne Birchfield, shows. The couple posted for powerful photos which went viral over the weekend.

 

Retired Navy captain apologizes after racial slurs streamed on Facebook

A former member of the U.S. Naval Academy alumni trustees issued an apology Sunday for using racial slurs on social media. Retired Capt. Scott Bethmann was asked to resign as a trustee on Saturday after a live conversation with his wife that was posted on Facebook disparaged admission by the academy of African Americans, Asian Americans and women.

CBS affiliate WJAX-TV reports the couple didn’t appear to realize they were streaming via Facebook Live.

“There are no words that can appropriately express how mortified and apologetic my wife and I are about the insensitive things we said that were captured on social media,” Bethmann said in the statement. “There is never a time when it is appropriate to use derogatory terms when speaking about our fellow man.”

The comments were made by Bethmann and his wife, Nancy, while they were watching TV news and discussing the Black Lives Matter movement. The Florida Times-Union reports they were overheard using a slur for African Americans and making other racial comments on the Facebook Live feed.

— CBS/AP

 

French government under mounting pressure to address concerns about police violence, racism

France’s government is scrambling to address growing concerns about police violence and racism within the police force, as protests sparked by George Floyd’s death in the U.S. stir up anger around the world. The country’s top security official, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, was to hold a news conference Monday after Floyd-related demonstrations around France. He promised last week to be “unforgiving” with violations by police, but pressure is growing on the government to act.

French President Emmanuel Macron has stayed unusually silent so far both about Floyd’s death and what’s happening in France.

French activists say tensions in low-income neighborhoods with large minority populations grew worse amid virus confinement measures, because they further empowered the police. 

FRANCE-US-RACISM-PROTEST
People raise their fists as they kneel in front of riot police during a protest at the Champ de Mars, with the Eiffel Tower in the background, in Paris, June 6, 2020, as part of “Black Lives Matter” worldwide protests against racism and police brutality in the wake of the death of George Floyd.

GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT/AFP/Getty


At least 23,000 people protested around France on Saturday against racial injustice and police brutality, and more French protests are planned for Tuesday, when Floyd is being buried. 

 

NYC begins reopening, but concerns loom over protests

Cuomo cautiously celebrates New York City’s reopening

This morning, after nearly three months of being shut down, New York City is beginning phase one of its reopening.

As states reopen across the country, 17 have reported an increase in average daily new COVID-19 cases, compared with two weeks ago – and that is raising concerns among some health experts.  

In New York, phase one means construction projects can restart; manufacturers can get their floors open again; and non-essential retailers can start curbside pickup. It might seem small, but it’s a huge step forward for a city that’s been locked down for more than 80 days.

The next phase of reopening could be just weeks away. But after months of hard-won progress against the coronavirus, there are concerns that the massive demonstrations in the wake of George Floyd’s death could have given the virus a chance to spread again.

To date, more than 200,000 New York City residents have tested positive for the virus. The death toll in the city is estimated to be just over 21,000.

“We’ve tested everything else, we’ve measured everything else,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “Everything was going fine, then we had these large number of protests. We don’t know what the effect of those protests are. And we’re concerned about it.”

 

German government says “must be possible” to socially distance at protests

The German government is calling on people attending anti-racism protests to stick to coronavirus distancing rules. At least 15,000 people demonstrated in Berlin and 25,000 protested in Munich on Saturday and there were protests in other German cities as part of the global demonstrations against racism and police brutality that have followed the May 25 death of American George Floyd.

In some cases, protesters were closely packed together despite German requirements for people to stay 5 feet apart. 

Demonstrators Across Germany Pay Tribute To George Floyd
People protest against racism and police brutality on June 6, 2020 in Alexanderplatz in Berlin, Germany.

Maja Hitij/Getty


Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said Monday: “It is good if people take to the streets in Germany as well with a clear statement against racism,” but he added: “The pictures that in some cases emerged over the weekend were not good. Both things must be possible: to demonstrate peacefully, which is a fundamental right, and keep to the (social distancing) rules.”

He said many demonstrators “created a big risk for themselves and others.”

 

Final public viewing of George Floyd’s casket set to take place in his hometown of Houston

Mourners will be able to view George Floyd’s casket Monday in his hometown of Houston, the final stop of a series of memorials in his honor. A six-hour viewing will be held at The Fountain of Praise church in southwest Houston. The viewing is open to the public, though visitors will be required to wear a mask and gloves to comply with coronavirus-related guidelines.

Floyd’s funeral will be Tuesday, followed by burial at the Houston Memorial Gardens cemetery in suburban Pearland, where he will be laid to rest next to his mother, Larcenia Floyd.

Former Vice President Joe Biden plans to travel to Houston on Monday to meet with Floyd’s family, opting for a private meeting instead of potentially disrupting Tuesday’s funeral service with extra security measures.

“Vice President Biden will travel to Houston Monday to express his condolences in-person to the Floyd family. He is also recording a video message for the funeral service,” a spokesman said Sunday.

An aide familiar with the plans told CBS News Biden doesn’t want his Secret Service protection to complicate the funeral service, but wanted to give his condolences in person.

— CBS/AP

 

U.K. leader says protests “subverted by thuggery” after clashes

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says anti-racism demonstrations have been “subverted by thuggery” after protesters tore down a statue of a slave trader in the city of Bristol and scrawled graffiti on a statue of Winston Churchill in London.

London’s Metropolitan police say a dozen people were arrested and eight officers injured after demonstrators clashed Sunday with police in central London.

Johnson says while people have a right to peacefully protest, they have no right to attack the police. He says “these demonstrations have been subverted by thuggery — and they are a betrayal of the cause they purport to serve.” 

Thousands rally worldwide for Black Lives Matter

Crime, Policing and Justice Minister Kit Malthouse called Monday for those responsible for toppling the bronze memorial to slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol to be prosecuted.

But Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees told the BBC that while he doesn’t condone criminal damage, he felt no “sense of loss” for the statue.

 

Fans match K-pop group BTS’ $1 million Black Lives Matter donation

Fans of K-pop megastars BTS raised and donated $1 million to the Black Lives Matter movement. The donation matched the septet’s donation of the same amount within 24 hours, organizers said Monday.

The band’s managers Big Hit Entertainment said at the weekend that they and BTS — currently one of the biggest acts in the world — had jointly donated $1 million to the ongoing anti-racism movement in the U.S. and beyond, triggered by the death in police custody of an unarmed black man as an officer knelt on his neck.

“We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence,” BTS said in a tweet last week, which has since been retweeted around 1 million times.

The Big Hit announcement soon sparked a #MatchAMillion hashtag trending worldwide on Twitter, with a set of BTS fans — One in an Army — setting up an online donation project for the cause. On Monday morning, One in an Army announced they had raised just over $1 million from nearly 35,000 donors.

 

Man drives car toward protesters then shoots one, police say

Authorities say a man drove a car at George Floyd protesters in Seattle Sunday night, hit a barricade then exited the vehicle brandishing a pistol. At least one person was injured.

The victim was a 27-year-old male who was shot and taken to a hospital in stable condition, the Seattle Fire Department said.

The alleged gunman was later attested, CBS Seattle affiliate KIRO-TV reports.

It was the second night of mayhem near the police station. On Saturday night, police used flash bang devices and pepper spray to disperse protesters on Capitol Hill. Seattle City Council members sharply criticized Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best for the police action.

— CBS/AP

 

Man charged in slaying of retired St. Louis police captain David Dorn

A 24-year-old St. Louis man has been charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a retired police captain who died on a night of violent protests while trying to protect his friend’s pawn shop, the city’s prosecutor announced Sunday.

Stephan Cannon was being held without bond on a first-degree murder charge in the death of David Dorn, 77, who was killed Tuesday on the sidewalk outside Lee’s Pawn and Jewelry. Dorn’s last moments were caught on video and apparently posted on Facebook Live, though the video has since been taken down.

Dorn’s death came on a violent night in St. Louis, where four officers were shot, officers were pelted with rocks and fireworks, and 55 businesses were burglarized or damaged, including a convenience store that burned.

 

Protesters in England topple statue of slave trader Edward Colston into harbor

A statue of slave trader Edward Colston was torn down and thrown into Bristol Harbor on Sunday by protesters demonstrating against racism and police brutality in England. According to the BBC, one person was seen with their knee on the statue’s neck in reference to the fatal arrest of George Floyd, whose death in Minneapolis inspired protests across the globe.

The bronze statue was erected in 1895, more than 150 years after Colston’s death and 88 years after Britain abolished the slave trade in 1807. Colston played a key role in the Royal African Company, a 17th century slave trader responsible for transporting around 80,000 indentured people to the Americas.

Worldwide protests honor George Floyd and Black Lives Matter in defiance of coronavirus fears

Read more here.

 

Minneapolis City Council members announce intent to vote on disbanding police department

Nine out of 13 Minneapolis City Council members announced Sunday their intent to disband the city’s police department, CBS Minnesota reports.  

The alternative offer had to do with taking the department money and putting it toward community initiatives that strengthen safety, CBS Minnesota points out. Concrete details about how to do the work of dismantling MPD were less defined, although council member Philippe Cunningham said the upcoming budget is a great place to start.

“We’re not going to tomorrow all the sudden have nobody for you to call for help. There will be thoughtful and intentional work that’s done, research engagement, learning that happens in a transition that will happen over time,” Cunningham said.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey issued a statement Sunday addressing the need for reform, but said he doesn’t support disbanding the police department.

minneapolis-police-department-03.png
Protesters seen over the weekend in Minneapolis.

CBS Minnesota


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The Latest: Hundreds line up for George Floyd’s memorial in Houston https://www.badsporters.com/2020/06/08/the-latest-hundreds-line-up-for-george-floyds-memorial-in-houston/ https://www.badsporters.com/2020/06/08/the-latest-hundreds-line-up-for-george-floyds-memorial-in-houston/#respond Mon, 08 Jun 2020 17:47:31 +0000 https://badsporters.com/?p=7056 The latest on protests against racism and police brutality from around the world HOUSTON — Hundreds of mourners lined up outside a church in George Floyd’s native Houston for a final public viewing Monday as his death two weeks ago at the hands of police continued whipping protesters, leaders and cities around the world into […]

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The latest on protests against racism and police brutality from around the world

HOUSTON — Hundreds of mourners lined up outside a church in George Floyd’s native Houston for a final public viewing Monday as his death two weeks ago at the hands of police continued whipping protesters, leaders and cities around the world into action over demands to address racial injustice and police brutality.

As the doors opened at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston, where Floyd spent most of his life, Floyd was lying in an open gold-colored casket, dressed in a brown suit and blue tie. His body was escorted to what organizers say will be a six-hour public viewing that was expected to draw thousands of mourners.

George_Floyd_Memorial_33914

Mourners are guided into the Fountain of Praise Church during a public visitation for George Floyd Monday, June 8 in Houston. Godofredo A. Vásquez, Houston Chronicle via AP, Pool

Mourners, many wearing masks and T-shirts with the words “I Can’t Breathe,” stood 6 feet apart as they paused briefly to view the casket. Some made the sign of the cross as they passed by. On the stage behind the casket were two identical murals of Floyd wearing a black cap that read “Houston” and angel wings drawn behind him.

Among those expected to attend the service was Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has called Floyd’s death a “horrific act of police brutality.”

Comill Adams, her husband Lamar Smith and their children, 8-year-old Shermame and 10-year-old Saniyah drove 7 1/2 hours from Oklahoma City to attend the public memorial.

“We had been watching the protests on TV. We’ve been at home feeling outraged. At times it brought us to tears,” Adams said. “The fact this one is causing change, we had to come be a part of.”

Adams and her family wore matching black T-shirts that had “George Floyd 1974-2020” on the front and “I Can’t Breathe” on the back. Adams said she had the shirts made for the memorial.

Floyd died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped responding. His death has inspired international protests and drawn new attention to the treatment of African Americans by police and the criminal justice system.

Even as the service began, the impact of his death continued to resonate internationally. In Paris, France’s top security official said police will no longer conduct chokeholds that have been blamed for multiple cases of asphyxiation and have come under renewed criticism after Floyd’s death. And in Washington, Democrats in Congress proposed a sweeping overhaul of police oversight and procedures, a potentially far-reaching legislative response to the mass protests denouncing the deaths of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement.

Read the full story here.

Officer charged in Floyd’s death scheduled for first court appearance

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis police officer charged with second-degree murder in George Floyd’s death was scheduled to make his first court appearance Monday.

Derek Chauvin, 44, is also charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s May 25 death. Floyd, a handcuffed black man, died after the white police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after Floyd stopped moving and pleading for air.

George_Floyd_Death_Investigation_30948

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin Hennepin County Sheriff via AP, File

Floyd’s death set off protests, some violent, in Minneapolis that swiftly spread to cities around the U.S. and the globe. Chauvin and three other officers on the scene were fired the day after Floyd’s death.

Chauvin is being held at a state prison in Oakdale. The other three officers — J. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao — are charged with aiding and abetting. They remain in the Hennepin County jail on $750,000 bond.

Floyd’s death has ignited calls to reform the Minneapolis Police Department, which community activists have long accused of entrenched racial discrimination and brutality. A majority of Minneapolis City Council members said Sunday that they favor disbanding the department entirely, though they have yet to offer concrete plans for what would replace it.

“Nobody is saying we want to abolish health or safety,” Council Member Alondra Cano told WCCO-AM on Monday. “What we are saying is we have a broken system that is not producing the outcomes we want.”

The state last week launched a civil rights investigation of the department. On Friday, the council approved a stipulated agreement that immediately banned the use of chokeholds and neck restraints and included several other changes. That investigation is ongoing.

Romney marches with evangelicals, becomes first Republican senator to join protests in D.C.

WASHINGTON – Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, on Sunday became the first Republican senator known to march in one of the District of Columbia’s anti-racist demonstrations after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis nearly two weeks ago.

Wearing a mask and garnering little overt notice from fellow protesters, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee marched alongside hundreds of evangelicals at the head of a column of demonstrators that eventually swelled to more than 1,000 people.

Romney said in an interview that he wanted to find “a way to end violence and brutality, and to make sure that people understand that black lives matter.”

APTOPIX_America_Protests_Washington_74516

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, marches with a crowd singing “Little Light of Mine” in Washington on Sunday. Romney marched Sunday in the protest against police mistreatment of minorities in the nation’s capitol, making him the first Republican senator known to do so. Michelle Boorstein/The Washington Post

Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts have waded through the throngs of outraged yet largely peaceful protesters in D.C., and civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., toured the city’s newly named “Black Lives Matter Plaza” on Sunday morning with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat.

Last week, Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, marched in his state. But Romney is the first Republican senator to publicize joining a demonstration.

President Donald Trump last week declared himself “your president of law and order,” and retweeted a letter from his former attorney John Dowd that referred to the protesters as “terrorists.”

Under a beating afternoon sun, protesters around Romney waved signs with biblical phrases and chanted: “Do justice! Do justice!”

At one point in the march, Romney held up his phone and – like so many other Americans have done in the past week – snapped a selfie of himself protesting. His quickly went viral.

Read the full story here.

Germany wants protesters to social distance

BERLIN — The German government is calling on people attending anti-racism protests to stick to coronavirus distancing rules.

At least 15,000 people demonstrated in Berlin and 25,000 protested in Munich on Saturday and there were protests in other German cities as part of the global demonstrations against racism and police brutality that have followed the May 25 death of American George Floyd.

In some cases, protesters were closely packed together despite German requirements for people to stay 1.5 meters (5 feet) apart.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said Monday “it is good if people take to the streets in Germany as well with a clear statement against racism.”

But he added: “the pictures that in some cases emerged over the weekend were not good. Both things must be possible: to demonstrate peacefully, which is a fundamental right, and keep to the (social distancing) rules.”

He said many demonstrators “created a big risk for themselves and others.”

Germany has been widely praised for its adroit handling of the pandemic.

UK prime minister says protests ‘subverted by thuggery’ after slave trader’s statue torn down

LONDON — U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says anti-racism demonstrations have been “subverted by thuggery” after protesters tore down a statue of a slave trader in the city of Bristol and scrawled graffiti on a statue of Winston Churchill in London.

London’s Metropolitan police say a dozen people were arrested and eight officers injured after demonstrators clashed Sunday with police in central London.

Johnson says while people have a right to peacefully protest, they have no right to attack the police. He says “these demonstrations have been subverted by thuggery – and they are a betrayal of the cause they purport to serve.’’

Crime, Policing and Justice Minister Kit Malthouse called Monday for those responsible for toppling the bronze memorial to slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol to be prosecuted.

But Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees told the BBC that while he doesn’t condone criminal damage, he felt no “sense of loss” for the statue.

Armed driver barrels toward Seattle protesters, shooting one before surrendering to police

A chaotic scene unfolded Sunday night in Seattle when an armed driver barreled toward a crowd of protesters, shooting one person who apparently tried to stop him, before ultimately surrendering to police, according to authorities and video footage of the incident.

The violence interrupted a peaceful protest in the name of George Floyd near the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct just before 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Videos showed protesters appearing to chase after a black Honda Civic as it sped down the street toward a larger crowd, slowing just as it crashed into a metal barrier near an intersection. One protester caught up to the vehicle, video by the Seattle Times shows. The man appeared to try to reach inside the driver’s side window, when a shot rang out.

The protester jolted backward, falling onto the pavement. Bystanders and medics rushed to his aid. The suspect, who has not been identified by police, then exited the vehicle, as the people who had just surrounded his car fled in all directions.

“He’s got a gun!” people screamed in video taken by a Seattle Times reporter.

The suspect then headed toward the heart of the protest where hundreds were gathered in the street. With nowhere to go, some raised their hands in the air. Some lay on the ground.

The man ran through the crowd toward the police line on the other side of the protesters.

Once he emerged from the crowd, he walked toward police with his hands in the air. He walked nearly all the way up to the police line before officers took him away, video of the arrest shows.

Seattle police said the unidentified suspect is in custody and that a gun was recovered from the scene.

The Seattle Fire Department said the 27-year-old victim was transported to the hospital and is in stable condition.

With George Floyd’s death, French anger grows over police brutality

PARIS — France’s government is scrambling to address growing concerns about police violence and racism within the police force, as protests sparked by George Floyd’s death in the U.S. stir up anger around the world.

The country’s top security official, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, was holding a news conference Monday after Floyd-related demonstrations in cities around France. Castaner promised last week to be “unforgiving” with violations by police, but pressure is growing on the government to act.

French President Emmanuel Macron has stayed unusually silent so far both about Floyd’s death and what’s happening in France. Macron’s office says he spoke to the prime minister and other top officials over the weekend, and asked Castaner to “accelerate” plans to improve police ethics that were initially promised in January.

Last week, the Paris prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation into racist insults and instigating racial hatred based on comments allegedly published by police in a private Facebook group.

Website Streetpress published a string of offensive messages that it said were published within the group, though acknowledged that it is unclear whether the authors were actual police officers or people pretending to be police. Some of the reported comments mocked young men of color who have died fleeing police.

Separately, six police officers in the Normandy city of Rouen are under internal investigation over racist comments in a private WhatsApp group. Both incidents have prompted public concerns about extreme views among French police.

French activists say tensions in low-income neighborhoods with large minority populations grew worse amid coronavirus confinement measures, because they further empowered the police.

At least 23,000 people protested in cities around France on Saturday against racial injustice and police brutality, even defying a police ban on such protests in Paris due to fears about spreading coronavirus.

Activists marched Monday in the western city of Nantes, and more demonstrations are planned in France on Tuesday, when Floyd is being buried.

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka speaks out for Black Lives Matter, faces backlash

TOKYO – Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka is under online attack in her birthplace, after speaking out about racial injustice and encouraging people to join a Black Lives Matter protest march.

Hundreds of people turned out in Tokyo and Osaka over the weekend to express their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and to protest racial injustice in the United States – as well as racism in Japan.

The protesters also took aim at Japanese police for allegedly targeting foreigners, after a Kurdish man claimed to have been stopped by police for no reason and shoved to the ground.

The protests have reopened a debate about racism in Japan – and provoked a backlash from right-wing nationalists.

Many people hoped that the rise of tennis player Osaka, born to a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, to the top of the women’s world rankings would help encourage Japanese society to take a more accepting attitude to people known as “hafu,” or half-Japanese.

Osaka moved to New York with her family when she was 3-years-old, but said last year she was giving up her U.S. citizenship to represent Japan in the Tokyo Olympics, because Japan’s Nationality Act stipulates those who hold dual citizenship must choose one before their 22nd birthday.

But for some nationalists, it seems that their acceptance of Osaka is grudging at best – or conditional on her keeping her mouth shut on political issues.

Osaka began speaking out against racial injustice in the United States on Twitter last week, before encouraging people in Japan to join a march in support of Black Lives Matter in the western city of Osaka on Sunday.

Her comments sparked a flood of angry response, with some people arguing that the protest could spark a rise in covid-19 infections, and others arguing that racism was not a problem in Japan, or even that the demonstrations were organized by left-wing activists with an agenda.

“Naomi Osaka does not seem to be the pride of Japan,” one person tweeted. “This is my own personal view after all, but I now recognize her as a terrorist. I do not want her to get involved in tennis, which is played by gentlemen.”


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George Floyd rally: Nearly 200 arrests, 4 officers injured during Houston protest, HPD says https://www.badsporters.com/2020/05/30/george-floyd-rally-nearly-200-arrests-4-officers-injured-during-houston-protest-hpd-says/ https://www.badsporters.com/2020/05/30/george-floyd-rally-nearly-200-arrests-4-officers-injured-during-houston-protest-hpd-says/#respond Sat, 30 May 2020 17:53:56 +0000 https://badsporters.com/?p=6779 Eight HPD patrol units were damaged during the protest. HOUSTON — All is calm after a nearly 11-hour rally in downtown Houston where protesters took the streets to demand justice for George Floyd, a Houston native who died in Minneapolis as a result of an officer kneeling on his neck while he was being arrested […]

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Eight HPD patrol units were damaged during the protest.

HOUSTON — All is calm after a nearly 11-hour rally in downtown Houston where protesters took the streets to demand justice for George Floyd, a Houston native who died in Minneapolis as a result of an officer kneeling on his neck while he was being arrested for an alleged forgery. 

Nearly 200 people were arrested during the rally. Many of the people arrested will be charged with obstructing a roadway, according to the Houston Police Department.

Four Houston police officers suffered minor injuries during the protest and eight police vehicles were damaged. 

RELATED: ‘Don’t turn your back on racism’: Nike ad shines light on race relations in America

RELATED: George Floyd protests spread coast-to-coast as violence ramps up

Below is a timeline of events from the George Floyd protests in Houston:

MAY 30 9:41 A.M. —  Jack Yates High School Alumni holds a vigil and walk in honor of George Floyd who graduated from the school in 1993. 

*Live video above or you can watch via our Facebook page*

MAY 30 3:57 A.M. — Chief Art Acevedo tweets “done for the night” in response to the George Floyd rally. 

MAY 30 3:15 A.M.  Houston police said nearly 200 people were arrested during the George Floyd rally. The department said many of the people arrested will be charged with obstructing a roadway.

MAY 30 12:20 A.M. — Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo and HPD officers are advising people downtown blocking a street or business to leave or be subject to arrest.

MAY 29 10:52 P.M. — Protesters remained downtown Friday night as law enforcement officers blocked off some entrances into downtown. KHOU 11’s Chris Costa said protests where he was at Texas and Fannin remained peaceful.

Demonstrations in downtown Houston

This is live video from downtown Houston. Reporter Chris Costa is following the demonstrations in downtown Houston that at times today have become violent.

This is a live feed. There may be profanities in the video.

Latest headlines: https://bit.ly/36H8HqW

Posted by KHOU 11 News on Friday, May 29, 2020

MAY 29 9:52 P.M. — All highway and street access into and out of downtown Houston is closed after protests turned violent. City officials are asking people to avoid traveling near the area throughout the night.

MAY 29 9:39 P.M. — Police are staged downtown where George Floyd protesters remain after Friday afternoon’s rally.

MAY 29 9:29 P.M. —  There were reports of some damage to businesses downtown, including broken glass at Zuto’s, a restaurant.

Earlier, dozens of protesters blocked parts of I-45, Hwy 59 and some downtown streets during rush hour. 

The rally itself was mostly peaceful with only a handful of arrests.

Acevedo said about a dozen people total had been taken into custody by Friday evening.


Hundreds marched from Discovery Green to Houston City Hall Friday afternoon in memory of  Floyd, who died at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. 

Several marchers carried signs and chanted “No justice, no peace,” and other rallying cries along the way.


At City Hall, they shouted “I can’t breathe” in reference to Floyd’s pleas for help as former officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck.

Houston police dressed in riot gear kept watch during the rally but their were no major issues.

RELATED: Protesters block Houston freeways as rallies for George Floyd continue

RELATED: Derek Chauvin charged with 3rd degree murder, manslaughter in death of George Floyd

Turner later said he understands the anger and frustration and supports the right to protest, but asked Houstonians to keep it peaceful.

Floyd’s death hits close to home because he grew up in the Third Ward.  A lot of Houstonians knew him and he still has family here.

BLM organizers say “people are angry” and what happened to Floyd has to fuel change.

“My message to everybody who’s coming is this a community event, a family event, it ain’t just to express our anger, but we have to get together to truly get something done,” said Ashton Woods, with Black Lives Matter Houston.

RELATED: ‘Stand strong, stand together’: Former NBA player Steven Jackson on a mission to get justice for George Floyd

Protests have become violent in Minneapolis, Los Angeles and other cities but Houston has a long history of peaceful protests.


RELATED: Biden: George Floyd’s death shows ‘open wound’ of US racism

RELATED: Former President Obama issues statement over George Floyd’s death

Great news if you watch TV with an antenna

KHOU has just upgraded its technology.  If you were unable to receive KHOU with your antenna in the past, try again on channel 11.11.  You may have to rescan your channels for it to work – if that’s the case, we’ve got some instructions at KHOU.com/antenna.  If you already see KHOU on 11.1, you may now ALSO see it on 11.11 – it’s the exact same programming.  We’re really excited to be able to bring our KHOU 11 News, CBS shows and sports, Wheel of Fortune, Ellen and Great Day Houston to more homes around the area.  If you’re still having trouble, please contact us here and we’ll try to get you set up.

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In Houston, George Floyd https://www.badsporters.com/2020/05/27/in-houston-george-floyd-2/ https://www.badsporters.com/2020/05/27/in-houston-george-floyd-2/#respond Wed, 27 May 2020 19:29:41 +0000 https://badsporters.com/?p=6621 Friends and family members of George Floyd, the Houston man who died this week in Minneapolis police custody, on Wednesday continued to speak out on the case at the center of nationwide outrage. Floyd, 46, was seen in a now-viral video showing a white Minneapolis police officer kneeling on his neck. Police said Floyd, who […]

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Friends and family members of George Floyd, the Houston man who died this week in Minneapolis police custody, on Wednesday continued to speak out on the case at the center of nationwide outrage.

Floyd, 46, was seen in a now-viral video showing a white Minneapolis police officer kneeling on his neck. Police said Floyd, who is black, matched the description of a suspect in a forgery case at a grocery store, and that he resisted arrest. Floyd told the unidentified officer that he couldn’t breathe, but the officer ignored the man’s pleas.

Bridgett Floyd, George Floyd’s sister, told NBC’s “Today” show that the four officers in the video should be charged with murder.

“I would like for those officers to be charged with murder because that’s exactly what they did. They murdered my brother; he was crying for help,” Floyd said Wednesday.

Floyd added that she had faith that the officers would be charged but said their firing wasn’t enough.

“I don’t need them to be suspended and able to work in another state or another county. Their licenses should be taken away; their jobs should be take away, and they should be put in jail for murder,” she said.

George Floyd’s cousin, Tera Brown, also told CNN she wants to see murder charges filed.

“They were supposed to be there to serve and to protect and I didn’t see a single one of them lift a finger to do anything to help while he was begging for his life. Not one of them tried to do anything to help him,” Brown told CNN.

Roxie Washington, the mother of Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter Gianna Floyd, on Tuesday described him as a “gentle giant” and loving father.

Roxie Washington, left, and her sister Paula Washington, right, stand in Houston’s Emancipation Park on Tuesday, May 26, following a prayer vigil for George Floyd, a Houston man who was killed in Minneapolis police custody. Washington is the mother of Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter, and she described him as a loving father.

She said he was a talented athlete who played basketball and football in both high school and college. He grew up in the Third Ward and at one point made music with the Screwed Up Click, a legendary Houston rap group.

Other notable athletes have spoken about his death, including former NBA player Stephen Jackson and Houston Texans star J.J. Watt.

WATT SPEAKS OUT: Texans star calls George Floyd’s death in police custody ‘disgusting’

“I’ve seen the video, and I think it’s disgusting,” Watt said during a Zoom news conference Wednesday. “I think that there’s no explanation for it. To me, it doesn’t make any sense. I just don’t see how a man in handcuffs on the ground who was clearly detained and clearly saying, ‘in distress,’ I don’t understand how that situation can’t be remedied in a way that doesn’t end in his death.”

julian.gill@chron.com

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In Houston, George Floyd https://www.badsporters.com/2020/05/27/in-houston-george-floyd/ https://www.badsporters.com/2020/05/27/in-houston-george-floyd/#respond Wed, 27 May 2020 18:58:23 +0000 https://badsporters.com/?p=6619 Friends and family members of George Floyd, the Houston man who died this week in Minneapolis police custody, on Wednesday continued to speak out on the case at the center of nationwide outrage. Floyd, 46, was seen in a now-viral video showing a white Minneapolis police officer kneeling on his neck. Police said Floyd, who […]

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Friends and family members of George Floyd, the Houston man who died this week in Minneapolis police custody, on Wednesday continued to speak out on the case at the center of nationwide outrage.

Floyd, 46, was seen in a now-viral video showing a white Minneapolis police officer kneeling on his neck. Police said Floyd, who is black, matched the description of a suspect in a forgery case at a grocery store, and that he resisted arrest. Floyd told the unidentified officer that he couldn’t breathe, but the officer ignored the man’s pleas.

Bridgett Floyd, George Floyd’s sister, told NBC’s “Today” show that the four officers in the video should be charged with murder.

“I would like for those officers to be charged with murder because that’s exactly what they did. They murdered my brother; he was crying for help,” Floyd said Wednesday.

Floyd added that she had faith that the officers would be charged but said their firing wasn’t enough.

“I don’t need them to be suspended and able to work in another state or another county. Their licenses should be taken away; their jobs should be take away, and they should be put in jail for murder,” she said.

George Floyd’s cousin, Tera Brown, also told CNN she wants to see murder charges filed.

“They were supposed to be there to serve and to protect and I didn’t see a single one of them lift a finger to do anything to help while he was begging for his life. Not one of them tried to do anything to help him,” Brown told CNN.

WATT SPEAKS OUT: Texans star calls George Floyd’s death in police custody ‘disgusting’

Roxie Washington, the mother of Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter Gianna Floyd, on Tuesday described him as a “gentle giant” and loving father.

She said he was a talented athlete who played basketball and football in both high school and college. He grew up in the Third Ward and at one point made music with the Screwed Up Click, a legendary Houston rap group.

Other notable athletes have spoken about his death, including former NBA player Stephen Jackson and Houston Texans star J.J. Watt.

“I’ve seen the video, and I think it’s disgusting,” Watt said during a Zoom news conference Wednesday. “I think that there’s no explanation for it. To me, it doesn’t make any sense. I just don’t see how a man in handcuffs on the ground who was clearly detained and clearly saying, ‘in distress,’ I don’t understand how that situation can’t be remedied in a way that doesn’t end in his death.”

julian.gill@chron.com

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Houston reinstates supsended ECU football players https://www.badsporters.com/2020/01/13/houston-reinstates-supsended-ecu-football-players/ https://www.badsporters.com/2020/01/13/houston-reinstates-supsended-ecu-football-players/#respond Mon, 13 Jan 2020 12:12:39 +0000 http://www.badsporters.com/?p=4787 GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – ECU head football coach Mike Houston officially reinstated Juan Powell and Delvontae Harris back into the football program on Tuesday morning. This announcement comes after the sophomore linebacker and freshman cornerback both had their felony charges dropped after being arrested back in August. The two players returned to the practice field […]

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GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – ECU head football coach Mike Houston officially reinstated Juan Powell and Delvontae Harris back into the football program on Tuesday morning.

This announcement comes after the sophomore linebacker and freshman cornerback both had their felony charges dropped after being arrested back in August.

The two players returned to the practice field Tuesday morning.

“They are extremely remorseful,” said Houston after practice Tuesday. “They are disappointed in the way they represented the program and the university and they are determined to not let this incident define them. If I did not feel that way, they would not be with us. But I do feel like both of them made a mistake. I do believe in second chances as long as I’m convinced the individual will take advantage of the second chance and has become a better person because of it.”


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Charges have been dropped against two East Carolina University football players who were arrested just days before the season began.

Court records show Juan Powell, 18, and Delvontae Harris, 20, performed community service prior to the felony charges of breaking and entering of a motor vehicle being dismissed on Thursday.

The two were arrested on August 24th after police say they received a call about two men pulling on car door handles and breaking into cars in the area of East 8th and Forbes streets.

Powell and Harris were suspended indefinitely the next day by head coach Mike Houston. There’s no word from ECU whether the two will return to the team or not.

The two players performed 50 hours and 45 minutes of community service with ECU’s Campus Living “moving campus living furniture and organizing it in two of our warehouses.” They also did 32 hours of community service for Greenville Little Leagues performing various duties.


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Two ECU football players were arrested Saturday morning after admitting to breaking into at least one vehicle.

Greenville police say they received a call around 3:00 a.m. Saturday morning about two males pulling on car door handles and breaking into cars.

Police responded to the area between E. 8th Street and Forbes Street, and found Juan Powell, 18, and Delvontae Harris, 20. The two men were identified by a witness.

Nothing has been reported stolen from any of the vehicles.

Both Powell and Harris have been charged with felony Breaking and Entering of a Motor Vehicle.

According to an announcement Sunday from head coach Mike Houston, both players have been suspended indefinitely from the team.

The decision came after Houston and ECU athletics officials were made aware of the charges filed, and meetings were conducted by Houston and each player.

“As I have stated before, certain things are non-negotiable,” Houston said. “Representing East Carolina University in a negative light is something we take very seriously. Delvontae and Juan are suspended indefinitely and any decisions regarding their continued association with our program will not be made until the campus and legal process reaches a conclusion. While I am disappointed with the actions of both players, we will support them throughout this process. Moving forward, our focus is centered on NC State.”

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Houston financial advisor charged with defrauding ex-NFL player https://www.badsporters.com/2018/05/04/houston-financial-advisor-charged-with-defrauding-ex-nfl-player/ https://www.badsporters.com/2018/05/04/houston-financial-advisor-charged-with-defrauding-ex-nfl-player/#respond Fri, 04 May 2018 08:05:52 +0000 http://www.badsporters.com/?p=3741 By Gabrielle Banks, Houston Chronicle Updated 5:11 pm, Wednesday, May 2, 2018 window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push( mode: ‘thumbnails-c’, container: ‘taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-5’, placement: ‘Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 5’, target_type: ‘mix’ ); _taboola.push(flush: true); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push( mode: ‘thumbnails-c’, container: ‘taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-9’, placement: ‘Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 9’, target_type: ‘mix’ ); _taboola.push(flush: true); Photo: Sam […]

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Updated 5:11 pm, Wednesday, May 2, 2018



A Houston woman was taken into custody Wednesday on federal charges that she swindled a former NFL player out of more than $1 million after he hired her as a financial advisor.

This is at least the second time in recent years that federal prosecutors in Houston have charged a financial agent with stealing money from an ex-football player, although the professionals and former NFL players involved in the two cases are different.

In the newer case, Tonya Lynn Adkism, 44, faces a 16-count indictment including allegations of mail, bank and wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to the U.S. Attorney. Adkism was taken into custody Wednesday and set to make an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo.

Adkism’s court records are under seal and the prosecutor and judge on the case were unable to provide further information about the case or her attorney.


According to court documents, Robert Meachem, a former wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints hired Adkism in June 2010 to oversee his finances. Investigators say she fraudulently obtained signatory authority over Meachem’s corporate accounts and forged his signature on checks linked to his personal accounts, netting than $1 million from his accounts.

She faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for mail fraud and on each of two counts of wire fraud and up to 30 years in prison and a possible $1 million maximum fine for each of eight counts of bank fraud.

RELATED: Woman allegedly conned Heisman winner Ricky Williams out of millions

The second recent case involved a former Houston woman who recently pleaded guilty after portraying herself as a Harvard-educated money manager and tricking former NFL running back Errick L.”Ricky” Williams and other professional athletes out of millions of dollars.

Peggy Ann Fulford , 59, pleaded guilty Feb. 1 to moving illegally obtained money across state lines. She agreed to repay $3.5 million to Williams for his losses.

Fulford’s attorney, Philip Gallagher, at the federal public defender’s office, was not immediately available for comment.

According to court documents, Fulford convinced the former Heisman winner at University of Texas that she had studied law and business at a Harvard and had made her fortune on Wall Street buying and selling hospitals and real estate in the Bahamas, but records showed she did not attend Harvard or have a law license.

Fulford is scheduled for sentencing Aug. 2 before U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison.

Gabrielle Banks covers federal court for the Hoston Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and send her tips at gabrielle.banks@chron.com.


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Ex-NBA player Steve Francis Charged With Threatening An Officer During Traffic Stop https://www.badsporters.com/2016/11/30/ex-nba-player-steve-francis-charged-threatening-officer-traffic-stop/ https://www.badsporters.com/2016/11/30/ex-nba-player-steve-francis-charged-threatening-officer-traffic-stop/#respond Wed, 30 Nov 2016 06:22:37 +0000 http://www.badsporters.com/?p=213 In Houston, former NBA all-star Steve Francis has been charged with felony retaliation after prosecutors say he threatened to assault a Houston-area deputy during a traffic stop. Court records show the 39-year-old Francis also faces a misdemeanor driving while intoxicated charge stemming from the Saturday incident. Online jail records show he was released on $5,500 […]

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Steve Francis, former NBA player arrested and charged.In Houston, former NBA all-star Steve Francis has been charged with felony retaliation after prosecutors say he threatened to assault a Houston-area deputy during a traffic stop.

Court records show the 39-year-old Francis also faces a misdemeanor driving while intoxicated charge stemming from the Saturday incident. Online jail records show he was released on $5,500 bond. He’s scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.

A news station reported that Francis was pulled over in Harris County, Texas, for speeding. The station also says a deputy smelled alcohol and Francis was belligerent during the traffic stop. The report says more deputies were called to the scene and Francis was arrested. Authorities say no deputies were assaulted.

No attorney is listed for Francis in online court records.

Francis played for 11 seasons in the NBA, including seven in Houston.

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