The George Floyd response has been completely unjustified

Recent rhetoric posed by left-wing media and commentators intends to polarize and induce radical sentiment in George Floyd's name. While the distressing footage has understandably caused upset since its original leak, the following global response, including consistently violent riots in 140 US cities- is completely disproportionate. Distrust in the American police force has swollen, further provoking tensions between authorities and marginalized communities, resulting in militarization from both sides.^[1] This will not produce a positive outcome for the United States’ African American communities and is at risk of being taken out of context on an international scale. While other nations are finding parallels to George Floyd, they must address these issues not through the lens of America, but by their own history of racial tensions. The UK’s Metropolitan Police may have had their own accusations of racism, for example, but they are not armed to the degree of those in America’s system.^[2] Of course, the reaction has been cumulative rather than isolated, with 2020 alone also seeing the high profile tragedy of Breonna Taylor, whose unprovoked killing has understandably aroused fear.^[3] But this doesn’t justify unprovoked violence in turn, including mass damage to local businesses and property.^[4] Police have also been unfairly targeted- many have stood by protesters or addressed civil disobedience as a matter of safety.^[5] Protests of this sort can- and have- been a righteous cause. The issue is the state of lawlessness that has malformed from the situation. Like any movement lacking a united vision, it has been hijacked by criminals, opportunists, and bandwagonism. It has missed the point. Many now are not hearing ‘Black Lives Matter’ but platitudes and meaningless sloganeering. They are not seeing George Floyd, but an easily-exploited brand along with the same level of profundity as ‘ I ❤ NY’.