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Opinions of Wednesday, 3 June 2020

Columnist: McAnthony Dagyenga

George Floyd’s death could have been avoided

The policeman with his knees to the throat of the deceased African American The policeman with his knees to the throat of the deceased African American

It is ever wrong to kill. The bible, the Quran and/or any other religious Book in this world plus our conscience command us not to kill whatsoever. So whichever way, killing is so so wrong. Taking someone's life is extremely wrong.

The Minneapolis cops were so unprofessional in the discharge of their work towards the arrest of late George Floyd. Everything they did was so awful. American police could do better. At least they look like humans and are expected to behave and do their job like humans.

To the point that weak George Floyd conceded and said "I will (enter the car)", the policemen, should have got upon him, lift him, and put him into the car, but they unprofessionally and unfortunately continued to kneel on him till he passed out. That is unforgivable!

I believe the law will be made to work in America as far as this George Floyd murder is concerned (and of course in similar other cases).

However...THIS DEATH COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.

I kept asking myself, "Which sound policeman will be so stupid to intentionally kill somebody in front of cameras and eyewitnesses in a broad daylight?" We may need to analyse this a bit. Anyway, let's put it aside.

You see, sometimes, no matter how professional you are, someone can horribly or disturbingly push you to the wall one day and you would have no option than to find yourself doing the unthinkable.

In the videos, we saw that Floyd was overly resisting his arrest. Why was he resisting? The police guys did all they could to get him into the car but he kept resisting. The thing is you have been arrested, handcuffed and all you need to do is to surrender and go to the police station... whether you were wrongfully arrested or not.

An arrest does not mean that is the end of your life. You have the right to seek legal redress. You have the right to request someone else to follow you to the station. Why must you resist?

Usually, when the police come to arrest you, they tell you you have the right to remain silent or else whatever you say will be used against you in the law court. No amount of words you say will make them change their minds. Just go with them to the police station and pour all your words in your statement. Don't resist the arrest.

No matter who you are in society, when you continue to resist police arrest (making their work difficult), know also that it is their harshness you will be asking for.

I am against the police unprofessional act; they went too far, but it was also so clear in the video that the policemen by every way were trying to penalise Floyd to get him weak so they could put him in the car and go (since he had resisted for long). It was just so unfortunate, so accidental that Floyd died.

Seriously, all this unfortunate death could have been avoided if Floyd respected and cooperated with the police. All he needed to do was just to enter the car instead of resisting. There would have been no death nor violent demonstrations (as we are witnessing now). Honestly, the world would not be discussing this presently.

My fellow black people, pulling the racism card in this matter is off way in my view. This has nothing to do with racism. Just obey laws and cooperate with law enforcement.

Of course, the policeman will be charged, found guilty, and jailed. However, the fact still remains that George Floyd is dead and gone forever (something that could have been avoided).

May that not happen to any black anymore. Never again.