- Aftermath of Michael Brown’s killing by Ferguson police.
UN Committee cites recent killings of Jordan Davis, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, other excessive force incidents
By Sonya Eskridge
- Police killed Eric Garner in NYC.
The United Nations is calling on the United States to stop the inequitable use of excessive force on African-American people.
It’s been an eye-opening summer as the U.S. law enforcement system has come under fire for the deaths of several innocent black men across the country. Eric Garner’s passing earlier this summer got people upset, but Michael Brown’s shooting death made people riot in the streets of Ferguson, Missouri.
Tensions were further strained by instances of police using excessive force in situations that didn’t apparently call for it, like an incident where one NYPD put a pregnant black woman in a chokehold for using a barbecue in front of her home.
Reuters reports that the U.N.’s anti-racism board, U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), has said that disproportionate police brutality against black people is a problem the world can no longer afford to ignore. It’s just one thing among other forms of discrimination that black people face in America.
- Michael Brown, Ferguson, MO, killed by P.O. Darren WIlson. No charges filed.
CERD committee vice chairman Noureddine Amir said in a statement, “Racial and ethnic discrimination remains a serious and persistent problem in all areas of life from de facto school segregation, access to health care and housing.” The committee is made up of 18 independent experts, and on August 13, they questioned several U.S. ambassadors about the prevalent discrimination against minorities.
Keith Harper, a senior U.S. delegate, admits that the country has a lot further to go in its mission to eliminate racial discrimination. However, he defended the U.S. in arguing that the nation has made progress in its treatment of minorities.
In CERD’s opinion, the U.S. hasn’t done enough yet to combat the issue.
- Nourredine Amir is from Algeria.
“The excessive use of force by law enforcement officials against racial and ethnic minorities is an ongoing issue of concern and particularly in light of the shooting of Michael Brown,” Noureddin said in a news release.
“This is not an isolated event,” he added, “and illustrates a bigger problem in the United States, such as racial bias among law enforcement officials, the lack of proper implementation of rules and regulations governing the use of force, and the inadequacy of training of law enforcement officials.”
(VOD: a major story on State Police brutality in Detroit –not Belle Isle) that took place yesterday will be out shortly.)
