The death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who cried, "I can't breathe," as a white police officer, identified as Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck, sparked tremendous outcry not only in the United States of America but also in other countries.
#BlackLivesMatter protests which began after Floyd's death in the US took a violent turn, leading to arson and even looting.
Meanwhile, a video of a black woman, who partly-owned a store in New York, has gone viral. Her store Valentine Deli Corp, located in the Bronx borough of New York City, was thrashed and looted amid the protests.
The woman lashed out at the protesters and said, "The problem that bothers me is you say 'Black Lives Matter'. I’ve worked here part-time, plus I’m a part-owner of this store. You say Black Lives Matter. Why don't you choke me I'm black?"
"Look what you did to my store — look! Look what you did to my store. We’ve been here all night cleaning up, all night cleaning. Now tell me Black Lives Matter. You lied," she angrily said.
"You wanted to loot a store. You needed money. Get a job like I did — stop stealing. This is a neighbourhood. We’re trying to build it up and you’re tearing it down," the woman added.
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Meanwhile, New York City police officials have made numerous arrests and even resorting to force after a curfew began amid continuous protests. New York Police Department (NYPD) Chief of Department Terence Monahan told reporters that the police had adopted a more aggressive approach in order to quickly disperse the groups of protesters.
Protests were also held in other cities around the US, including Washington D.C., Oakland, Chicago, Miami, Tampa and Orlando.
Floyd's death has also triggered protests around the world including in France, the UK, New Zealand, Finland, Denmark, Greece, South Africa and Germany.
(With IANS inputs)
