Editorial | US unrest sends out warning after virus exposes injustices
- Discontent behind the riots and looting goes far beyond race and politics reflecting deep flaws in society, and governments elsewhere need to be mindful of inequities in their strategies and policies
A video of a white officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while ignoring the man’s cries that he could not breathe was bound to cause outrage. A police statement that failed to mention the specifics of his death by referring to a suspect “under the influence” who suffered “medical distress” contributed to the riots that ensued. The four-day delay in bringing charges against the officer and Trump’s message on Twitter that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts” exacerbated a tense situation. Subsequent efforts by the president to blame the unrest on the extremist left-wing movement Antifa has caused further complications.
Trump’s actions and remarks have arguably deepened US racial divisions. Of the 1,099 people killed by police last year, almost one-quarter were black, even though that demographic accounts for only 13 per cent of the American population. The wealth gap between black and white has not changed for 60 years and the coronavirus has widened the inequalities of rich and poor. More than 100,000 Americans have now died from the disease and the unemployment rate has been pushed by the economic disruption to 15 per cent, with blacks and Latino Americans most at risk of losing their jobs.
The discontent behind the riots and looting goes far beyond race and politics, though. A variety of causes have been taken up, including deep-seated medical and insurance flaws, perceived biased reporting by the media and government coronavirus stimulus policies seen as giving unfair preferential treatment to the wealthy. They follow on from continuing protests in the US and around the world against lockdowns to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Floyd’s killing and the resultant violence add a worrying new dimension. Demonstrations seeking justice went global at the weekend with rallies occurring in Britain, Canada, Germany and elsewhere. With the pandemic causing financial distress for billions of people and decades of gains against poverty at risk of being wiped out, potential triggers for social unrest abound. Governments need to be mindful of inequities in their strategies and policies.