The City of San Jose, capital of Silicon Valley, joined the national protest of more than 40 cities in the 25 States of the American Union over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officer Derek Chauvin, with the passive complicity of his colleagues who did nothing to stop the aggressor.
With the slogan “I can’t breathe,” a wave of mobilizations began, initially peaceful, but as time passed, they turned into riots, looting, and vandalism. These acts are not good because they send a negative message. We must raise our voices and demand justice, but not through violence.
Part of the problem is that a majority of law enforcement agencies have institutionalized racism, which becomes evident when they make arrests and convict people based on skin color because they have a racial profile in their minds that assumes anything dark is guilty. However, it’s important to note that not all police officers are racist; there are thousands who respect the communities they serve.
The national outrage and frustration manifested itself in different ways. In San Jose, some protesters blocked Highway 101 and traffic during their demonstrations. Others vandalized property, and many marched peacefully carrying signs and chanting slogans against police brutality.
Racial protests have been heard, and participants are echoing the words of George Floyd’s family: «There can’t be one justice system for Black people and another for white people.» Police brutality and excessive use of force are central to human rights violations in the United States. Changes and reforms are needed to achieve reconciliation between the community and law enforcement. Perhaps this is what some police officers in Miami, Los Angeles, New York, and New Jersey wanted to demonstrate by kneeling in solidarity with the protesters, partly to calm tensions and build trust between the two sides.
At the local level, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo called for calm and emphasized that violence is not the answer, that there is no reason to vandalize cars and commit acts of aggression. Mayor Liccardo appeared during the San Jose protest and knelt in respect for George Floyd.
It’s worth mentioning that many businesses, already hard hit by the relentless COVID-19 pandemic, have also suffered vandalism, with broken windows and doors. Amid this grim situation, it’s important to highlight the commendable efforts of the volunteers who came together to help clean up their cities.
This beautiful country is being ravaged, first by the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected nearly 2 million people and, as a tragic consequence, left 40 million unemployed. Despair and anxiety have gripped thousands, yet thousands more are determined to keep fighting for the American Dream. That’s why it’s important that we look ahead. 2020 is a pivotal year for the entire nation, but especially so for our immigrant community. The Census and the presidential elections will shape our future, and the best thing we can do is participate and make our voices heard.
