Democratic lawmakers have announced a sweeping package of legislation aimed at ending police brutality and racial injustice. Police must be "accountable to the public," said the head of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Image: picture alliance / abaca
Advertisement
US Democratic lawmakers on Monday took a knee in the Capitol building before unveiling sweeping legislation aimed at combating police brutality and racial injustice in the wake of George Floyd's death in custody.
The draft legislation aims to outlaw the use of chokeholds by law enforcement agents, restrict the use of legal force and allow victims of police misconduct to sue the relevant authorities, among other measures to quell racial injustice in US law enforcement.
"A profession where you have the power to kill should be a profession that requires highly trained officers who are accountable to the public," said US Representative Karen Bass, who serves as chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Bass said the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 would "hold abusive law enforcement officers accountable, change the culture of law enforcement and build trust between law enforcement and our communities."
The draft legislation also includes a federal anti-lynching bill that had stalled in Congress.
It is unclear whether Republican lawmakers will support the legislation, which can only become law if it clears the Republican-controlled Senate and Donald Trump's desk. At least one Republican senator, Mike Lee of Utah, has said he would consider reviewing the bill before deciding.
The death of Floyd, an African American, during an arrest has triggered a nationwide protest movement calling for extensive change to policing in the US.
The draft bill does not seek to defund law enforcement agencies, considered a key demand from the protest movement's most vocal supporters. However, it does focus on shifting funding priorities and expanding resources for community engagement.
"We have confused having safe communities with hiring more cops on the streets … when in fact the real way to achieve safe and healthy communities is to invest in these communities," said US Senator Kamala Harris, who briefly ran for the Democrats' presidential nomination.
US President Donald Trump said the Democrats "want to Defund and Abandon our Police" in a tweet published shortly after the bill was unveiled. Critics, including his former Cabinet members, have accused Trump of deliberately seeking to divide the country.
Young Black Lives Matter protesters: 'Enough is enough'
Since last week's killing of George Floyd, a black man, cities across the US have seen ongoing protests against police brutality. Many young people are among the demonstrators in Washington D.C., and they want justice.
Image: DW/C. Bleiker
Nathan (16), Sammy (17), Matthew (15), Noel (18)
These schoolboys are taking part in a "big movement," as Noel puts it, for the first time. Noel adds: "The last time we were just a bit too young. But now that we're old enough to understand what's happening, we're out here just doing what we can for the community." Sammy says: "We want to make America a better place for black people."
Image: DW/C. Bleiker
Celeste, 21
"Black lives matter," the student chants, adding "they really don't matter here." Celeste demands more stringent checks on police officers. Her complaint does not just refer to the killing of George Floyd, however: "Protesters have been treated terribly, it's police brutality."
Image: DW/C. Bleiker
Deborah, 18
"I want justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and everyone killed by police every day. There is no accountability, nothing happens," the schoolgirl says. But will she and her fellow protesters be able to bring about change? "We have to! We have no other choice."
Image: DW/C. Bleiker.
Addie (23), Mary (24)
"We promote human rights across the globe, but I think that we're not capable of promoting human rights across the globe as a country when we have so many human rights violations of our own in our own country," says Addie, who works for a think tank. "It's not enough to be neutral," legal trainee Mary adds: "Silence is betrayal."
Image: DW/C. Bleiker
Mya, 21
"This form of oppression, the killing of black people, has been happening in our society for over 400 years. Enough is enough. We are tired," the student says. "But we were tired when Trayvon Martin happened, when Eric Garner happened. I'm 21, I'm finally at the age where I can get involved. I've got to make it count."
Image: DW/C. Bleiker
Kayla, 21
"History is repeating itself. So it's time for a change," the student says. "I feel like we deserve our say now. We've waited long enough. I don't feel like the military should be involved. If anything, the government should be doing something to make us feel more safe, not us having to go and do it ourselves."
Image: DW/C. Bleiker
Bryan, 25
"I'm tired of the systematic racism, the oppression. I'm tired of seeing my people die. I'm just sick of it," says the student tearfully. Bryan, who also has a part-time job at the House of Representatives, adds: "The first thing is to get Trump out of office. There's no reason why a president should be promoting the violence and the destruction and the killings of his own citizens."
