George Floyd Protest Cinematography, Music & Narrative

June 12, 2020 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Social Issues & Crime / News Analysis & Opinion /  Gotham Buzz NYC.

The video below is an interpretive depiction of a protest event in McCarren Park early last week. The piece is meant to be savored - like food, music and cinematography.

• CLICK here to read the rest of our report on the George Floyd Pink Floyd protests in Brooklyn, Manhattan & Bronx NYC and George Floyd protest videos.

George Floyd Protest Cinematography, Music & Narrative

June 12, 2020 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Social Issues & Crime / News Analysis & Opinion /  Gotham Buzz NYC. Continued.

George Floyd Protests Previously

June 9, 2020 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Social Issues & Crime / News Analysis & Opinion /  Gotham Buzz NYC.

It's worth taking a little time today, the day of George Floyd's funeral, to talk about who George Floyd was. According to Wikipedia, George Floyd was a 46 year old man and father of five. While he was born in North Carolina, he grew up in Houston, Texas, where he was an accomplished high school basketball and football player. He attended college for a couple of years, where he also played basketball, before dropping out. In the mid 1990's he was also a rapper performing with a group on the Houston music scene.

His life took a turn for the worse as Wikipedia reports,

" ... After several arrests for theft and drug possession, Floyd was charged in 2007 with armed robbery in a home invasion which he committed with five other men; he agreed to a plea deal in 2009 and was sentenced to five years in prison. He was paroled in 2013 after spending four years at the Diboll Unit [a working unit]. After his release, he became involved with Resurrection Houston, a local ministry ... "

Floyd moved to Minneapolis following serving his time and recently lost his job due to the CoVid pandemic. He was caught trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill while buying cigarettes in Minneapolis when he was arrested by police officer Derek Chauvin.

Police Officer Chauvin was a 19 year veteran of the Minneapolis Police Department. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune,

" ... [Chauvin] was involved with several police shootings, includes both commendations and more than 15 conduct complaints. Almost all the complaints were closed without discipline, records show, suggesting the allegations weren't sustained. The nature of the complaints wasn't made public ... "

Since George Floyd's death, the influential role of police unions, on municipal police department operations, has entered into the discussion as a possible factor enabling police brutality and violence. We'll have more as the week progresses.

Untangling the Web: Floyd Protests, CoVid Pandemic, Unemployment & Crime

June 5, 2020 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC CoVid 19 Special Section / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Thursday afternoon I ventured out again to cover the ongoing George Floyd protests. This time I headed down to Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn first, where George Floyd's brother went to speak. I missed the speech and the crowds too, as they had just departed across the Brooklyn Bridge, heading into Manhattan.

I took a subway into Manhattan and caught up with them as they came across the bridge, arriving just across the street from City Hall. After spending some time there, shooting video and photographs, I took another subway up into the Bronx where the looting had taken place on Monday night - as I wanted to see things for myself - as I no longer trust billioniare and corporate owned Tabloid TV news to report things in context.

Around 7.30 pm I headed back home, hoping like Cinderella, to make it home before the curfew took effect, even though as a journalist, I'm allowed to be out as an essential worker.

I'll have more on all of this posting as the weekend progresses, including photos and video for this story and the one below.

In the meantime, best wishes for a pleasant weekend.

Story, photos and video by Michael Wood.