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Black Lives Matter
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2021-02-16
Protest at the Minnesota State Capitol Last Summer
There are 20 days until the trial of George Floyd. This photo was taken at the Minnesota State Capitol last summer, moments before the National Guard and State Police thought using rubber bullets was an appropriate "crowd control" tactic for a peaceful protest. -
2021-03-02
George Floyd Square Artists
From Drew Arrieta's post: On Sunday, George Floyd Square held space for black creatives to showcase and celebrate their creative excellence. The Twin Cities hands-down has one of the best spoken word and poetry communities. Thanks to @b_tulloch + @siriuslymarie + @toussaintmorrison for putting on this event. -
2020-03-08
Jury Selection for Derek Chauvin Silent March
From Drew Arrieta: Today, the jury selection begins in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for second-degree murder and manslaughter. Last week, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ordered Judge Cahill to reconsider adding a third-degree murder to his charges. Hundreds of protesters participated in a silent march yesterday, honoring Floyd and over 240 individuals who died in police-involved shootings in Minnesota over the last 20 years. -
2021-03-12
Preparing to protest
From Drew Arrieta: Visual Black Justice (@visualblackjustice) is a black-woman led org blending art and social justice. In preparation for the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, they collected mirrors to display messages of solidarity and accountability outside the courthouse. -
2021-03-09
Justice for George Floyd
From Drew Arrieta: As court proceedings for the trial of Derek Chauvin were underway, hundreds of community members, activists, and students demanded justice for George Floyd outside the courthouse. Judge Cahill, who is overseeing the trial, yesterday said he would proceed with the jury selection despite a dispute on the potential reinstatement of a third-degree murder charge that could potentially delay the case. The prosecution criticized the judge's decision, arguing the lack of clarity on charges when selecting a jury risks the case being thrown out on appeal. -
2021-03-13
University of Minnesota students rallied to demand community control of the UMPD
From the Instagram post: The city of Minneapolis on Friday agreed to pay $27 million to settle a civil lawsuit with George Floyd's family just weeks before opening statements were scheduled to begin for the former officer charged with his death. This payment marked the second multi-million-dollar payout for police actions in the past two years. According to MPR News, the settlement in Floyd’s death raises the total amount the city has paid to settle police officer misconduct cases to $71 million over the past two decades. Yesterday, University of Minnesota students rallied to demand community control of the UMPD, call out racism on campus, and stand in solidarity with the family of George Floyd. -
2021-03-03
‘Just a beginning’: Black Lives Matter sign to be installed in Sacramento’s Oak Park
From the Article: It’s a simple sign for a clear message, backed by the city of Sacramento: Black lives matter. A wooden structure spelling the words “Black Lives Matter,” the movement and global rallying cry for racial justice, will be installed at McClatchy Park, located in one of Sacramento’s historically Black neighborhoods. Unanimously approved by the City Council during its Tuesday meeting, the sign is covered in hundreds of names memorializing unarmed Black people killed by law enforcement. Community advocates say they hope the sign will be a symbol of a commitment from city officials to improve the lives of Black residents in Sacramento. -
2020-11-10
Sustainable Finance Addresses Social Justice As COVID-19 Raises The Stakes
From the article: Economic shocks from the pandemic have widened existing inequities around the world, leading to calls for greater social justice in dealing with this health threat. Poorer people, minorities, and women are suffering disproportionately from growing health, housing, income, and education gaps under measures to contain COVID-19 that could set them back for years to come. To fund programs to address the problem, governments, supranationals, and corporations, among others, have accelerated issuance of sustainable instruments--including social bonds, where issuance jumped nearly four times so far this year to US$71.9 billion from the 2019 level. We think the sustainable debt market, partly because of the rapid rise in social bond issuance, could exceed $500 billion this year. -
2020-08-03
Navigating A Pandemic And A Social Justice Movement In The Workplace
Contributor Manon DeFelice interviews Melanie Collins, Vice President and Global Head of People at Dropbox about diversity and inclusion in the workplace, companies making a stand and following through, employee mental health, and what it means to be an ally. The article looks at the Black Lives Matter movement and what a company like Dropbox is doing as an ally to change many social issues facing communities of color today. -
2020-07-17
The new social justice movement feels different. That’s because it is.
Politico looks at the social justice movements today in comparison to the Civil Rights Movements of the 1960's. For one, there are no clear leaders of the modern day social justice movements and there is less of a desire for political collaboration on issues today. The video shows movements present and why this movement is different than those of the past. -
2020-12-10
Movements & Memes: How The Struggle For Social Justice Shaped 2020
Elly Belle refers to the year 2020 as a year of reckoning for North America. There are no better words to describe 2020. It was also a year of progress in spite of so much adversity. In the article Elly Belle seems hopeful saying, " The organizing and calls for justice that have taken place have provided the necessary framework that will influence work for decades to come — marking lasting changes in conscience beyond the ballot box. In turn, those who helped to secure food and housing for people, to hold police accountable, and transform what social services are funded will continue to push for meaningful, material change in the new year. From all that happened in 2020 alone, it's certain they’ll continue shaping conversations and movements in pivotal ways we haven't yet imagined." -
2020-12-21
A look at powerful social justice moments this year
Many photographs in this article show a beautiful moment within the context of the Black Lives Matter Movement. Some photographs show other events marked by the year 2020 such as the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the anniversary of women having the right to vote. If anything, 2020 was the most volatile year most of us have ever witnessed in our lives. -
2020-06-03
Black Lives Matter Rally in Calgary Alberta
This is a photo I took during one of Calgary’s Black Lives Matter marches in the Summer of 2020. In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, people took to the streets all over the world, not just America – In Calgary Alberta in particular, the death of George Floyd forced Canadians to critically look at our own law enforcement and state institutions, which were borne out of Canada’s colonial past. Not pictured in this photo would be the flags of numerous Indigenous nations, in particular the Mohawk nation – as in Canada and in America, the Black Lives Matter Movement synthesized itself with the cause of Indigenous sovereignty, as a means to combat white supremacy. During these marches, people who were antagonistic of the BLM movement stated that these marches were a threat to ‘public health’ as they believed protestors were marching mask less, this is not the case as evident in this photo. Organizers and random protestors were handing out masks, hand sanitization stations were set up with food, water and wipes. Signs were provided from the organizers to each marcher, if one did not bring their own. During this event, there was limited police presence as they maintained their distance from the large body of protestors which covered several streets. From what I recall what happened, I went with my friend Quinn, we showed up and found a place in the large crowd and listened to several speakers in the center of body of protestors (You can’t see it in this photo but it is directly center, behind the foliage). After the several speeches which took place, the organizers lead the people through a march downtown, to city hall. To my knowledge, there weren’t any instances of violence or confrontations with police – however I do remember there would be some agitators who would appear every now and then to yell at the protestors, or carry racist signs – I didn’t see this in particular, but saw photos of people doing so. This photograph would be beneficial to the social justice collection as it depicts the black lives matter movement of Calgary Alberta, Canada as fore mostly a window into the unique Canadian experience and similarly to how protests were conducted during a pandemic. -
2020-08-30
"Black Lives Matter"
A man holds a sign which states "Black Lives Matter" and "Treat Racism like Covid-19." -
2020-06-05
Picture of massive group of protesters in Halifax
This photo shows a large gathering of marching protesters armed with signs in Halifax, Nova scotia. -
2020-06-08
Picture of massive group of protesters in Montreal
This photo shows a large gathering of protesters armed with signs in downtown Montreal. -
2020-06-24
Picture of massive group of protesters in Ottawa
This photo shows a large gathering of protesters in front of Parliament. -
2020-06-05
Picture of massive group of protesters in Calgary
This photo shows a large gathering of protesters in downtown Calgary. -
2020-05-31
Picture of massive group of protesters in Vancouver
This photo shows a large gathering of protesters in Vancouver. -
2020-06-06
Picture of massive group of protesters in Chatham
This photo includes a large group of protesters in Ontario. -
2020-05-30
Picture of massive group of protesters in Toronto
This photo shows a large group of protesters in downtown Toronto. -
2020-06-07
"Stop Killing Us"
This post focuses on the murder of Black and Indigenous Canadians, and the image of the one protester surrounded by riot police. -
2020-08-24
"In the Age of Information, Ignorance is a Choice"
This post ties the pandemic and protesting together--the protester is wearing a mask, and while her sign is most likely a reference to the ignorance of white supremacy, it also works for ignorance of anti-maskers or COVID conspiracy theorists. -
2020-05-29
"Black Lives Matter Protest"
This poster advertises a peaceful protest, and some of the space is used to explain COVID protocols while protesting. -
2020-06-02
"COVID-19 Safety Tips"
This post directly ties COVID to protests, sharing various ways to be conscious and safe while protesting. -
2020-05-31
Holistic Heaux creates the Rebellion Aid Relief Fund in the wake of George Floyd’s murder
I submitted this image because when George Floyd was murdered in my hometown while I was away , I felt powerless, unsure of how to help. Through social media I was able to see the tireless action taken in order to build up and preserve the hurting community. Small business owners Zedé and Zora Harut, of Holistic Heaux, are a fantastic example of such support. Along with other community organizers, Holistic Heaux collected funds to disperse and buy supplies for Black and brown women in Minneapolis during the unrest in the city. The program has since continued in an attempt to lessen the toll the pandemic has taken on mothers and children who are a part of a population that is much more at risk of becoming infected with the virus. The tireless work of the many individuals, like Zedé and Zora Harut and their business, Holistic Heaux, to provide relief throughout the uncertainty created by the pandemic and protests should be preserved and remembered for the positive impacts they have had on their community. -
2020-09-24
Horace Graydon: I want to live peacefully with you, politically, socially…
Horace Graydon is a community volunteer, avid walker, and advocate for disrupting the pipeline to prison for youth of color. Horace tells his story against the backdrop of his long-term sentences in federal penitentiary. In the end, Horace is hopeful, though, finding that his passion for his work now. Stating that he "took so much out of our black communities by when" he committed acts that led him to prison that, now, he is -
11/08/2020
Jacoby Mena Oral History, 2020/11/08
Jacoby Mena, a 9th grade student, shares his views on staying home, the BLM movement, anti-maskers, and staying safe during the pandemic. -
2020-11-04
Social Justice High School
The Bedford City School District in Bedford Heights, Oakwood, and Walton Hills, Ohio are supporting their Bedford High School/Art Department efforts to memorialize the fight for Social Justice. The significance is not how much publicity the art project will get but that Social Justice is reaching even the smallest of corners in the United States. The Black Lives Matter protest and Social Justice reform determinations have gathered acknowledgements everywhere and hopefully the movement does not stop its traction to change social injustice towards minorities. Again the art project by Bedford High School is a statement that Social Justice is still progressing towards reform no matter how small it might seem. -
2020-06-02
Blackout Tuesday
HIST30060 Despite the global pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement saw a resurgence after the murder of American George Floyd in May of this year. Protests were sparked all over the world, pushing for the action to end the systematic racism experienced by people of colour (POC) and indigenous people all around the globe. I took this screen recording on my phone when, on June 2nd of this year, people all over the world participated in what was called ‘Blackout Tuesday’, where they would post black squares to their instagram account in an effort to project the voices of those who experience the systematic racism. I follow many celebrities on instagram, which you can see in this video many participated in the movement. However, the effort was quickly criticised, as the masses of posts featuring the black square began to dominate the Black Lives Matter (BLM) hashtag on all social media, an important tool that had been used by many to organise and publicise protests all over the world. Instead of the intended goal of projecting black voices over their white counterparts, the black squares instead silenced the important information that was being spread through the hashtag, doing the opposite of the intended effect. -
2020-06-08
When Restaurants Become the First Line of Support
During the BLM protests this past summer, many restaurants supported the protestors by providing free food, and acknowledging that the damage to their property was less important than the damage being done to Black people by police. They also performed support tasks such as hosting makeshift medic tents for the protestors. -
2020-07-29
Elk Horn Vows Not To 'Let Up' After Weekend Riot
A restaurant in Eugene, Oregon, was vandalized during the initial protests over the death of George Floyd. The damage was in excess of $500,000. The restaurant owner claims that the Black Lives Matter movement is being undermined by violent agitators. The owner has been criticized in the past for anti-homeless views. -
2020-10-30
NBA for Social Justice
The photograph on the right shows Trae Young, a Atlanta Hawks player, protesting at a Black Lives Matter event in June of 2020. I choose this picture because I am an Atlanta Hawks fan but more importantly because of the support provided by the NBA for social justice. Since the protests have started the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) have fully committed in supporting the social justice movement. Even with the NBA season over with now the spotlight to fight social justice has still continued. The NBA will continue to donate and provide support for education to minority communities. The NBA and NBPA have also made it their mission to address the lack of diversity in team management. Finally they have also made it their mission to help address police and criminal justice change in America. Protests are a bigger influence than people think and it is good to see big associations willing to make a difference for social justice. -
2020-10-22
Illinois College Football Team Fights Against Racism
The Tweet declares that the University of Illinois, The Fighting Illini, are in support of social justice. The college football team is supporting the Black Lives Matter movement by wearing black decaled insignias on their helmets with the Black Lives Matter fist symbol on the back of the helmet. The fist is a powerful gesture associated with the social justice protest. The video also states that football is just a game and social justice is a real world priority. A college football team and university realizing the fight against racism and social inequalities is more important than their institution is a significant event in the fight for social justice. Of course not all fans or comments think it is appropriate for the team to wear these symbols but all movements will have discourse in their pursuit to fight for social justice. This statement to display these images are closely related to how far the protests have come in the fight for social justice. -
2020-06
The Overton Window Shift
This meme is in reference to President Ronald Reagan’s gun control measures, which are a callback to the sentiments of a large number of gun-owning former Trump supporters that have been left in the dust by the President’s increasingly authoritarian and draconian attitude towards the Second Amendment. Once he started saying things such as “I prefer to take the guns first and go through due process second” and advocating for expanded red flag laws, many libertarian-leaning conservatives realized that the Republican Party was not going to preserve or prevent infringement on their Second Amendment rights. The final nail in the coffin came with the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, when riot police across the country began abusing protestors and onlookers. When right-wing libertarian militias grabbed their kits and began protecting BLM protesters from police and protecting businesses from rioters, they were targeted by counterterrorism elements of the federal government. This meme represents the complete and total lack of faith that most gun owners now have in the Republican Party. -
2020-10-27
Spreading the BLM Message with Vegan Soul Food
During the height of the Black Lives Matter protests many businesses were getting canceled left and right. Some business owners were being called out for not showing support of BLM, while others made apologies addressing their white privilege. Personally, it was a confusing time to be a consumer. I had to rethink shopping and eating at some of my favorite online stores as well as local restaurants. I’m very particular about where I spend my money, so I spent a lot of time considering my personal values and how I like to support businesses who share those same values. One business that I am proud to support is a San Antonio based restaurant that takes a clear stance on the Black Lives Matter movement. Binge Kitchen is a Black owned, family run, vegan restaurant serving delicious soul food. The restaurant had only been open for a few months before the pandemic hit. Their dining room has been closed since March, but they are still finding ways to connect with their customers while spreading the BLM message. On each take out box they hand write the names of people who died from police brutality. These messages help me feel connected to the owners who I was just getting to know back when their dining room was still open. While many businesses are too afraid to show full support of BLM, Binge Kitchen puts is values before profit. I have seen other companies receive backlash from the All Lives Matter supporters, and it’s understandable that some business owners want to avoid alienating their customers. However, in Binge Kitchen’s case I find that their clear stance (in addition to their tasty food) has gained them steady support. Every time I drive up to their restaurant to pick up my food, there are many other cars lined up to do the same. Customers share images of the to-go boxes on social media which drives even more people to the restaurant. I suspect many of them aren’t even vegan. They are just people who appreciate businesses who support Black Lives Matter. Businesses hesitant of supporting Black Lives Matter should give their customers more credit. They may discover that in fact, more people will support them if they find the courage to speak up in support of Black lives. -
2020-06-03
Tweets from San Antonio's mayor Ron Nirenberg throughout June, 2020
These series of images are tweets from or about San Antonio mayor Ron Nirenberg and his administration's response to COVID-19 and the social justice movement triggered by the murder of George Floyd throughout the month of June. These images illustrate the way local government mobilized to disperse political, economic, and medical information through social media. These also give insight into how the Mayor and his administration participated in the dialogue about systemic racism in San Antonio and across the United States. Information such as public and private programs, COVID-19 case statistics , protests, warnings to remain vigilant amid the reopening of the state, and where to get tested for COVID. -
2020-09-03
Right to Pursue Happiness
This essay is about American core values, equality and peace and in this essay we talk about black lives matter with equality and peace in America with all that is going on with protests and anti protesters -
2020-09-08
America's Battle for Equality
This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues that America is currently not living up to one of its key values, equality, because of the racial disparity and gender inequality that still happen in today’s society. For example, there is still police brutality against black Americans and the Pink Tax. People now are protesting against these issues and bringing light to inequality in America, especially in support of black Americans. -
2020-06-09
Oakland Artists Create Murals in Solidarity with Blacks Live Matter
Oakland residents find community and hope as they create street art across the city in the days following the death of George Floyd. Local artists and community members created murals on boarded up storefronts to express their solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Store fronts were boarded up as a result of shelter-in-place orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic and as a protective measure during the protests that flooding Oakland's streets following George Floyd's murder. -
2020-08-27
covie-19 story
My experience with covid-19 was just basically my normal life of just staying home and doing nothing most of the time, but it was kinda hard to not forget a mask whenever i would leave the house. There were also a lot of things going on all over social media like blm (black lives matter) and acab and a bunch of things and i tried to do my part in helping the movement even though i still am. -
2020-07-13
Pandemic, Depression, Uprising
My name is Emily Small Michon, I live in Seattle Washington, it is 1 in the afternoon on a day that used to be called Monday. When I first heard about Covid-19 I had no idea it would affect us this drastically. It felt surreal working at coffee shop watching children put toy dinosaurs in their mouths and how everyone seemed to start paying with cash in spite of the need to be more sanitary. Then I got sick, it was a weird 48 hour flu with a headache and throwing up accompanied by a very sore throat. The night after my headache and throwing up went away my lips were huge. They looked like they had been pumped full of Juvéderm injections or something. I tried to get tested but they told me I didn't meet the criteria since I didn't have a fever or shortness of breath. I was then fired from my job for "trying to get out of working." They sited that I had requested shift coverage from two shifts even before getting sick, they said it seemed like I “did not want to work”, and also mention that I had failed to stamp enough paper cups during my shifts and had had some interpersonal conflict with coworkers. There was a lot of drama at that job and I certainly was not the only one who had been part of the conflict. This all came without any prior complaints or disciplinary actions. Fortunately, I was still able to get unemployment since the company I worked for (Cafe Vita) is large and never responded to inquiry about my job separation. During this time my ex-boyfriend who was also my closest friend became being overly attentive, sweet and concerned about me. He would FaceTime me every day, he sent me a book he thought I would like in the mail and almost every morning would leave cute or funny animal videos in my inbox with messages like I hope you see this when you wake up and have a good day. This didn’t last very long and things turned a corner when I asked if he wanted to watch a movie together… like a shared screen sort of pandemic deal. He strangely responded with, "I don't know that seems like something people in a relationship do." It seemed completely ridiculous to think that you couldn't watch a movie together during a pandemic just as friends but I did want to be in relationship and this had been an area of contention for us for a while so I finally put my foot down and said I could not continue with things the way they were because it wasn't fair to me. It was really painful losing my favorite person, the person I was closest to and enjoyed talking with the most. I know this sort of loss is nothing compared to the stories of people who have lost loved ones. This was just beginning of course. Since then a massive uprising has begun that I feel particularly invested in and yet at the same still an outsider. I have not altogether found my place or decided how much I am willing to sacrifice. There are many people who are putting their body and their life on the line. I was out protesting the night Summer Taylor was killed. For those of you who don't know they were a young Seattle protester who was murdered by vehicular assault while protesting on I-5. The police neglected to blockade one of the off ramps though they had promised to secure the area, and that was their job and responsibility to do. The driver, Dawit Kelete, can be seen in a video maneuvering around two cars acting as safety barricades for the protesters who were chanting and dancing shortly before the brutal crime occurred. Another protester Diaz Love was also severely injured and for a time in critical condition. Upon regaining consciousness, Diaz was confronted with the death of their friend and an overwhelming amount of hate mail in their inbox. They still quickly posted that this would not affect their dedication to the cause. There have been over 60 recorded attempts of vehicular assault during the protests and with the current gains being made by the black lives matter movement. Since this is my personal story, I will tell you that I have also experienced cars acting like they want to run me over. The first was a cement truck who drove up onto the sidewalk towards me. The entire time the man glared at me from piercing blue eyes surrounded by sunburnt skin. This occurred in the capitol hill area somewhat near where the Cal Anderson protests were taking place. For those of you who don't know those were the protests where Seattle protesters received the brunt of police violence. Tear gas and munitions were utilized on an almost nightly basis, however the people persisted, and this led to the establishment of the Capitol Hill autonomous zone (CHAZ)...later known as the Capitol Hill occupied protest or CHOP. The other two incidents happened in my own neighbourhood on two different occasions when I was out for a run. I live in very white residential neighborhood in north Seattle. Both times the drivers made eye contact with me and I nearly had to jump out of the way. It confused me, sadly, because I am a white female and I am not used to experiencing this type of targeting. I am still baffled at what assumptions they would be making about me in my non-descript jogger’s clothes and my now natural hair color. Perhaps they assume all Seattleites are liberal? Maybe it was the inherent misogyny of white nationalists (I think we forget that they hate all women too), then again it could have just been angry men taking out pandemic related frustrations on vulnerable pedestrians....... I will never know. -
2020-07-03
Understand What Privilege Means
A contrast between people protesting for a haircut and protesting for the right to live. -
2020
Please Wear Your Masks While Arresting the Cops Who Killed Breonna Taylor
A reminder to wear masks even when fighting social justice issues. -
2020-03-01
"A lot of diversity in messages" Canada Day protests
A thread of tweets from local reporter Amanda Pfeffer. The first is a video of the small crowd on The Hill and then a series of photographs in which protesters are holding signs. In the top left image the signs read, "WEARING A MASK IS A SIGN OF SUBMISSION" and "SOCIAL DISTANCING IS FOR ROBOTS!" behind the couple is a sign reading "THE CANADIAN REVOLUTION" and the woman's tank top reads "HUGS OVER MASKS" In the top right image a woman dressed in scrubs and a stethoscope holds up a flag with letters applied to it which read, "STOP FRAUD ABORT COVID / VACCINES SCAM [?] / RECOVERY RATE 99.9% / DEATH RATE 0.03%" The bottom left image shows a chalk drawing which reads "BLACK LIVES MATTER" with an illegible Instagram handle underneath it. The bottom right image shows a chalk drawing which reads "CANADA DAY CELEBRATES STOLEN LANDS &..." -
2020-06-28
Black Lives Matter, Trans Lives Matter, Gay Lives Matter
Tyler Coffey posted this vibrant image featuring a person holding a sign that reads "Black Lives Matter, Trans Lives Matter, Queer Lives Matter," while standing in front of a colorfully decorate van, on his Instagram account. There is also a sign on the front of the van that reads "The first pride was a riot." The person holding the sign, as well as another figure in the background, are wearing masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This photograph was posted during San Francisco's pride weekend, traditionally held the last weekend in June. Rainbow flags and other apparel items are clearly seen in the background. -
2020-06-09
D.C. Wants All Protesters To Get A COVID-19 Test
Excerpt from article: While COVID-19 was on the minds of nearly all, many — including some medical professionals and public health experts — saw it as a risk worth taking as the country faces "two public health crises." -
2020-06-08
Even In A Pandemic, WHO Believes That Public Protests Are Important
Excerpt from article: Modelers say it's difficult to assess how the protests will influence COVID-19 infections. Because COVID-19 generally has an incubation time of up to two weeks, public health officials think it will take a couple of weeks before they see the impact. -
2020-06-09
Coronavirus: more than a dozen US states see record high of new cases
Excerpt from article: A total of 14 states and the US territory of Puerto Rico have recorded their worst week yet for new coronavirus infections, with Texas hitting a record high in Covid-19 hospitalizations, all while restrictions to curb the pandemic are being relaxed across America. -
2020-06-03
Protests spark fears of new COVID-19 surges
Excerpt from article: As demonstrators flooded streets across America to decry the killing of George Floyd, public health experts watched in alarm - the close proximity of protesters and their failures in many cases to wear masks, along with the police using tear gas, could fuel new transmissions of the coronavirus.