Protesters in Minneapolis say they now know their 2020-style events and subsequent behavior successfully swayed public – and ostensibly juror – opinion.
Former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of second and third degree murder of George Floyd, the black man whose death last summer sparked violent Black Lives Matter riots across the country. Chauvin, who was also found guilty of second degree manslaughter, will be sentenced in several weeks time, according to various outlets.
BLM activists took the streets of Minneapolis in anticipation for the sentencing of Chauvin, with many people having predicted riots, regardless of the potential outcome. Videos circulating on social media showed cheers and chants as Chauvin was convicted. However, following their celebrations, activists began gathering in crowds, where a number of protestors addressed the crowds.
“We need to go way beyond voting at this point,” one activist was filmed saying. “We need to be coming out here every single day if that’s what it takes, until we get justice for the people that they murdered a week ago that they’ve already forgotten about.” The BLM activist claimed that the only reason that Chauvin was convicted “is because we showed up” to protest riot night after night. “And if we don’t keep showing up, and if we don’t change laws, and if we don’t attack this system from every single f**king angle we can, we will be here again,” they added.
Minneapolis: #BLM protester on microphone says they got #DerekChauvinTrial outcome because of their riots & protests. He urges the attacks to continue. Video by @DrewHLive: pic.twitter.com/D5Y8nMuUeM
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) April 21, 2021
National File reported that there had been various threats of violence if Chauvin was not convicted of murder. “If George Floyd’s murderer is not sentenced, just know that all hell is gonna break loose,” warned Black Lives Matter activist Maya Echols earlier this month. “Don’t be surprised when buildings are on fire. Just sayin’.” Echols later deleted the video after backlash.
“This is guilty for murder. I don’t know whether it’s third degree, but as far as I’m concerned it’s first degree murder,” said Representative Maxine Waters last weekend. She added that, should Chauvin not be convicted for first degree murder, then “we gotta stay on the streets, we gotta get more active, we got to get more confrontational, we got to make sure they know we mean business.” Judge Peter Cahill, who presided over the case, described Waters’s comments as “abhorrent,” suggesting that they could be used as evidence in any appeal case by Chauvin.
Other activists later confirmed after the verdict that they were “not satisfied” with just the conviction of Chauvin. “his is one out of a thousand cases. This is the first step,” one said. “Whatever you think about building a house, you don’t get satisfied when you’re making the pillars. You’ve got to finish all the house..We are never satisfied. We will be satisfied when black lives fully matter!”
BLM MINNEAPOLIS: “WE ARE NOT SATISFIED” #DerekChauvinTrial pic.twitter.com/zN0PEPpMrz
— Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) April 21, 2021
BLM MINNEAPOLIS: “WE ARE NEVER GOING TO BE SATISFIED” #DerekChauvinTrial pic.twitter.com/F1j96NHYCi
— Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) April 21, 2021
Some in the media are seemingly grateful for Chauvin’s conviction, openly suggesting Chauvin’s apparent sacrifice would spare the West from more often-violent events. “I’m glad he was found guilty on all charges, even if he might not be guilty of all charges,” said Fox News’s Greg Gutfeld. “I’m glad that he’s guilty of all charges, because I want a verdict that keeps this country from going up in flames.”
Despite their best wishes, the violence continued regardless. Only minutes after the verdict, protestors were filmed surrounding a truck, and jumping on its hood, only falling off when the driver backed up. Other BLM activists went and battered the windows. The driver seemingly escaped unharmed.
BLM protestors surround truck following guilty verdict pic.twitter.com/4wSrQHQS2M
— Jewish Deplorable (@TrumpJew2) April 20, 2021
