So the verdict is in and what people saw in a viral video almost a year ago has been confirmed – officially. Police Officer (not ex-police, because he was one when he committed the crime) Derek Chauvin is a murderer and his victim was George Floyd. It remains to be seen what his sentence will be. (1)

District Attorney Keith Ellison who oversaw the case pointedly remarked that the verdict was not “justice” (because that “implies true restoration”), but “accountability.” (2) Yet, it must be queried if there’s even accountability outside this very specific instance for within minutes of the guilty verdict, news broke of Ohio police pumping four bullets into 16 year-old Ma’Khia Bryant. (3) Which itself was just days after the police shot 20 year-old Daunte Wright (only a few miles from where George Floyd was killed) (4). Days before that 17-year-old Anthony J. Thompson Jr. was shot and killed by Tennessee police while at school. (5) So the police killings and terrorism have not stopped amid the ‘global reckoning.’ (6)

But at least Chauvin was convicted, as were Slager, Van Dyke, Guyger and a few other police that murdered Afrikans in the USA. (7) However, the conviction rate of police killing hundreds of Afrikans over several decades in the UK remains fixed at zero. In fact most cases don’t get to court and the police are rarely disciplined in spite of the massively disproportionate use of force. (8)

A few days before George Floyd was murdered Simeon Francis died in police custody in Torquay, South West England and Mohamud Hassan died hours after leaving police custody in Cardiff Bay, Wales, earlier this year but too few “say their name.” (9) Between these two cases was the September/October 2020 inquest of Kevin Clarke, killed in custody in 2018. The inquest heard that police ignored his pleas of ‘I can’t breathe’ and ‘I’m going to die.’ The jury concluded that “system wide failures”, including inappropriate restraint, contributed to his death. Thus in spite of the endless ‘lessons learned’ platitudes, Afrikans are massively disproportionately subject to use of force by police. (10)

Nevertheless, one case to watch is that of ex-footballer Dalian Atkinson who died after being tasered three times by police in 2016. PC Benjamin Monk is scheduled to stand trial from April 26th for murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter. (11) It will be interesting to see if there is such a thing as a “George Floyd Effect” and if it can break through the seemingly impenetrable barriers of the UK ‘justice system.’ (12)

(1) Mariame Kaba and Andrea J. Ritchie (22/04/21) A World Where George Floyd And Ma’Khia Bryant Would Still Be Here Is A World Without Police. https://newsone.com/4143261/george-floyd-makhia-bryant-abolition-police/

(2) Keith Ellison (21/04/21) Today’s verdict isn’t ‘justice’. But accountability is a first step to justice. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/20/keith-ellison-george-floyd-speech-minnesota-attorney-general

(3) Dr. Stacey Patton (23/04/21) The foster care system and others failed Ma’Khia Bryant — and Black kids like her. https://thegrio.com/2021/04/23/makhia-bryant-foster-system-black-children/?fbclid=IwAR31itgQqcdRxncir7h0s_IaR3OaiYG1ykZzBVDTl3qTkuGQpn5wX4b-WnQ

(4) Taylor Ardrey (24/04/21) ‘Some people are happy’ Daunte Wright was fatally shot by police, lawyer says amid threats to the family. https://news.yahoo.com/people-happy-daunte-wright-fatally-183429918.html

(5) Zack Linly (17/04/21) Black Teen Fatally Shot by Tennessee Police. Initial Reports Says He Shot Officer, Later Says Bullet Did Not Come From Teen’s Gun. https://www.theroot.com/black-teen-fatally-shot-by-tennessee-police-initial-re-1846705503; Zack Linly (22/04/21) Tennessee Woman Expresses Regret for Calling Police on Black Teen Who Was Dating Her Daughter After He Was Fatally Shot. https://www.theroot.com/tennessee-woman-expresses-regret-for-calling-police-on-1846741465

(6) Doha Madani (25/01/21) Black woman whose family was handcuffed at gunpoint by police sues Aurora, Colorado. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/black-woman-whose-family-was-handcuffed-gunpoint-aurora-colorado-police-n1255586; Alison Holland (21/12/20) Black Lives Matter has brought a global reckoning with history. This is why the Uluru Statement is so crucial. https://theconversation.com/black-lives-matter-has-brought-a-global-reckoning-with-history-this-is-why-the-uluru-statement-is-so-crucial-149974

(7) Javonte Anderson (22/04/21) White cops have been convicted of killing a Black person before, but it’s rare. https://eu.azcentral.com/story/news/2021/04/22/white-cops-convicted-of-killing-black-people/7316914002/

(8) Afrika Speaks with Alkebu-Lan on Galaxy Radio (15/06/20) Have we done Enough to Support Death in Police Custody Families?https://www.alkebulan.org/2020/06/14/aswag-284-bdc-support/;

(9) Nadine White (23/04/21) Not enough has changed since Stephen Lawrence’s murder– a reckoning is long overdue. https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/stephen-lawrence-day-racism-police-b1835782.html

(10) INQUEST (09/10/20) Jury find system wide failures contributed to death of Kevin Clarke. https://www.inquest.org.uk/kevin-clarke-close; Dan Glazebrook (12/06/15) The police killing of Kingsley Burrell: the only “lesson learned” is how to get away with it. https://danglazebrook.com/2020/06/04/the-police-killing-of-kingsley-burrell-the-only-lesson-learned-is-how-to-get-away-with-it/

(11) Lisa O’Brien (03/03/21) Pc to stand trial in April charged with murder of Dalian Atkinson. https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/crime/2021/03/03/pc-to-stand-trial-in-april-charged-with-murder-of-dalian-atkinson/

(12) Mariam Issimdar (22/04/21) George Floyd: Derek Chauvin conviction ‘will make a difference in UK’. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-56829199

So we ask the question:

Chauvin Guilty: Now what about the UK?

1) What did you make of the trial and were you surprised by the guilty verdict?

2) Do you agree that it is “not justice but accountability”?

3) Have police methods changed since the George Floyd viral video?

4) Can a “George Floyd Effect” have any impact in the UK and what would it be?

5) What would need to happen for a police officer to be convicted of killing an Afrikan in the UK?

Our Special Guest:

Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and an Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of almost 40 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Approach To Excellence.