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Feds: Michigan man left nooses, notes mocking BLM movement

Racial Injustice-Nooses Regina and Donald Simon pose for a photograph in front of their home in Saginaw, Mich., Monday, July 13, 2020. A retired Michigan optometrist faces federal charges for allegedly leaving nooses and notes mocking the Black Lives Matter movement inside the mixed-race couple's pickup truck, near or inside several stores and placing threatening phone calls. (Kaytie Boomer/Saginaw News via AP) (Kaytie Boomer)SAGINAW, Mich. — (AP) — A retired Michigan optometrist faces federal charges for allegedly leaving nooses and notes mocking the Black Lives Matter movement inside a couple's truck and near or inside stores as well as placing threatening phone calls. Federal prosecutors allege that on June 14, 2020, Pilon used racial slurs while calling nine Starbucks stores in Michigan about workers who might be wearing Black Lives Matter T-shirts. Happy protesting!” Those nooses were left in parking lots in and outside Goodwill, Walmart and Kroger stores, inside a 7-Eleven store and inside a vehicle owned by a Saginaw couple.

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4 acquitted in toppling of British slave trader statue

Britain Statue Toppled FILE - Protesters throw a statue of Edward Colston into the Bristol harbour during a Black Lives Matter protest rally, Bristol, England, June 7, 2020. Four anti-racism demonstrators were cleared Wednesday Jan. 5, 2022, of criminal damage in the toppling of a statue of a 17th century slave trader during a Black Lives Matter protest in southwestern England 18 months ago. (Ben Birchall/PA via AP, File) (Ben Birchall)LONDON — (AP) — Four anti-racism demonstrators were cleared Wednesday of criminal damage in the toppling of a statue of a 17th-century slave trader during a Black Lives Matter protest in southwestern England. Protesters used ropes to pull down the bronze statue of Edward Colston and dump it in Bristol’s harbor on June 7, 2020. Bristol authorities fished the Colston statue out of the harbor and it was later put on display in a museum in the city, along with placards from the Black Lives Matter demonstration.

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Former Illinois State University football coach who removed Black Lives Matter poster alleges violation of First Amendment rights in lawsuit

The former football coach, Kurt Beathard, was terminated from his position at ISU after removing a Black Lives Matter poster from his office door and replacing it with a new poster with his wording that read: “All Lives Matter to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Now he is suing for First Amendment retaliation and viewpoint discrimination.

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Marjorie Taylor Greene introduces bill to award Congressional Gold Medal to Rittenhouse

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) introduced a bill on Tuesday to award Kyle Rittenhouse the Congressional Gold Medal for "protecting the community of Kenosha, Wisconsin, during a Black Lives Matter (BLM) riot on August 25, 2020."The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest honor Congress can award an individual or institution. It is highly unlikely the bill will go anywhere in the Democratic-controlled House and Senate, and it has no co-...

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Plan to revamp police force proceeds in Ithaca, New York

Black Lives Matter is seen along East Green Street where is passes under South Aurora Street, Monday, March 22, 2021, in Ithaca, N.Y. The nationwide reexamination of policing after the killing of George Floyd has led the Ivy League town in New York to consider an ambitious and contentious plan to remake its force. A proposal would replace the 63-officer Ithaca Police Department with a new Department of Community Solutions and Public Safety. The Ithaca Common Council unanimously approved a series of reform recommendations Wednesday night that included reconstituting the city police force to add unarmed officers to handle nonviolent calls like petty thefts. AdArmed officers of the 63-officer force would be able to keep their positions, and supporters of the plan said the new unarmed officers would be able to engage more with communities distrustful of police.

Black adviser quits UK government in wake of racism report

(AP Photo/Frank Augstein, FILE)LONDON – The most senior Black adviser to U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has resigned, the government said Thursday, the day after a report on racial disparities concluded that Britain does not have a systemic problem with racism. But Simon Woolley, a former government equalities adviser and a member of the U.K. House of Lords, said Kasumu’s exit was connected to the “grubby” and “divisive” report. The Conservative government launched the inquiry into racial disparities in the wake of anti-racism protests last year. The panel of experts concluded that while “outright racism” exists in Britain, the country is not “institutionally racist” or “rigged” against ethnic minorities. “There are very serious issues that our society faces to do with racism that we need to address,” he said.

With drivers confused, Atlantic City to redo BLM road paint

(AP Photo/Noah K. Murray, File)ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Atlantic City says it will redo a Black Lives Matter tribute on a street because the original painting of those words across the entire road confused motorists who didn't know where to drive on it. Instead, the words “Black Lives Matter” will be painted onto the repaved road in a manner that does not obscure lane divider markings, Mayor Marty Small said Thursday. “The words ”Black Lives Matter" will still be on the street." The road painting was a compromise that averted a potential confrontation between activists who wanted to paint the words “Black Lives Matter” on the famous Boardwalk, and city officials who would not allow it. City Council member LaToya Dunston accused the city of wasting taxpayer dollars by painting the road without knowing the rules governing it.

Journalist acquitted in Iowa case seen as attack on press

Des Moines Register reporter Andrea Sahouri, facing, hugs her mother, Muna Tareh-Sahouri, after being found not-guilty at the conclusion of her trial at the Drake University Legal Clinic, Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Des Moines, Iowa. (Kelsey Kremer/The Des Moines Register via AP, Pool)IOWA CITY, Iowa – An Iowa jury on Wednesday acquitted a journalist who was pepper-sprayed and arrested by police while covering a protest, in a case that critics have derided as an attack on press freedoms and an abuse of prosecutorial discretion. Robnett, 24, said he was sprayed and handcuffed after telling the officer that Sahouri was a Register journalist. Sahouri was the first working U.S. journalist to face a criminal trial since 2018, according to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker. Another Register reporter, Katie Akin, was near Sahouri and quickly informed police that they were journalists.

Reports: Seattle police violated policies at summer protests

Protests erupted in Seattle and across the country after George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer. The latest findings are separate from three other investigations into Seattle officers by the Office of Police Accountability. In the latest reports, investigators found that officers and one commander violated department policies while responding to demonstrations in Seattle. As she walked toward a group of people, the officer threw the blast ball and it hit her in the chest. Investigations found that the officer violated department policy by throwing the blast ball overhand toward a person who was unarmed and not throwing projectiles at officers.

Judge bans Proud Boys leader from Washington after arrest

FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2020, file photo, Proud Boys leader Henry "Enrique" Tarrio wears a hat that says The War Boys during a rally in Portland, Ore. Police in the nations capital on Jan. 4, 2021, arrested the leader of the Proud Boys, who is accused of burning a Black Lives Matter banner that was torn down from a historic Black church in downtown Washington in December 2020. (AP Photo/Allison Dinner, File)WASHINGTON – A judge has banned the leader of the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group, from the nation’s capital after he was accused of vandalizing a Black Lives Matter banner at a historic Black church and found with high-capacity firearm magazines when he was arrested. Tarrio was arrested Monday by the Metropolitan Police Department and accused of burning a Black Lives Matter banner that was torn down from a historic Black church in downtown Washington last month. A large Black Lives Matter sign was ripped from Asbury United Methodist Church property, torn and set aflame in December. Tarrio was seen with the sign in video of the incident posted on YouTube, according to a police report.

Proud Boys leader arrested, accused of burning church banner

FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2020, file photo, Proud Boys leader Henry "Enrique" Tarrio wears a hat that says The War Boys during a rally in Portland, Ore. Police in the nations capital on Jan. 4, 2021, arrested the leader of the Proud Boys, who is accused of burning a Black Lives Matter banner that was torn down from a historic Black church in downtown Washington in December 2020. (AP Photo/Allison Dinner, File)WASHINGTON – Police in the nation’s capital on Monday arrested the leader of the Proud Boys, who is accused of burning a Black Lives Matter banner that was torn down from a historic Black church in downtown Washington last month. By nightfall, vandals tore down a Black Lives Matter banner and sign from two historic Black churches in downtown Washington and set the banner ablaze. Tarrio told The Washington Post he had participated in the burning of the Black Lives Matter banner and said he would plead guilty to destruction of property and pay the church the cost of the banner. Another video showed men removing a Black Lives Matter sign at the Metropolitan A.M.E. Church.

Athletes act: Stars rise up against racial injustice in 2020

The NBA painted “Black Lives Matter” on the courts inside their Orlando, Florida, “bubble" and social justice messages were emblazoned on the backs of jerseys. Paul met with NBA players, and they decided awareness wasn’t enough anymore. “Black Lives Matter” also was featured prominently on the league’s courts. Wallace, the only full-time Black driver at the NASCAR national level, first began speaking out against racial injustice in America in the spring. His car featured a “Black Lives Matter” paint scheme.

Christmas unites community after fire guts historic church

The site of Middle Collegiate Church, which was devastated by a fire earlier in the month, is seen in New York on Dec. 14, 2020. The facade and the New York Liberty Bell are the only parts of the 128-year-old church that remain. Middle Collegiate had previously occupied two other locations in Manhattan beginning in 1729. Middle Collegiate has also welcomed 25 new parishioners since the fire, she said. “The church is made up of the congregation and what the people in the congregation believe and do,” said Slacik, who married her wife at the church.

Police guide that calls BLM a terrorist group draws outrage

FILE - In this July 11, 2020 file photo, Alycia Pascual-Pena, left, and Marley Ralph kneel while holding a Black Lives Matter banner during a protest in memory of Breonna Taylor, in Los Angeles. The document, labeled “restricted to law enforcement only,” is one of the few publicly available materials on its website. The law enforcement association, known by its nickname ILEETA, says in a mission statement that it's “committed to the reduction of law enforcement risk” and saving lives through high-quality training. The paper claims that those who participated in months of protests earlier this year in Portland and Seattle were “useful idiots” designed to give cover to the “hard-core, terrorist trained troops” that would follow. Goff, whose group works with departments to make policing “less racist and deadly,” said the document showed why it's important for critics to engage directly with local law enforcement to seek changes.

Florida officer befriends teen who attacked him during protest

MIAMI – The moment seemed to capture the super-heated emotions of a summer of national protest: A young Black teenager whacked a Miami police officer over the head with a skateboard during a chaotic demonstration. And against the odds, Washington and Marshall have since formed a friendship and bond, the officer now a mentor to the kid that struck him. “It was important to me as a young Black man to go out there and stand with my people,” he said. OFFICER WASHINGTONAmong the officers was Washington, a slender officer who was on duty with his identical twin brother, Jayson, also a Miami cop. Marshall began sobbing as he read the three-page apology letter he’d spent days poring over.

Black Lives Matter flag becomes issue in Florida community

But when Mickle decided to hang a flag of his own last month — proclaiming that “Black Lives Matter" — his neighborhood association immediately asked him to take it down, calling the flag ”noxious or offensive" under its rules. They are also outside our front doors as disputes arise in some neighborhoods over waving the flag of the Black Lives Matter movement. “In order to comply with the Association's governing documents, the Board of Directors requests that you take the following action: Remove the ‘Black Lives Matter’ flag." The Blue Lives Matter flags hung for months at a time and they still remain. She would not say if similar notices were sent to homeowners flying “Blue Lives Matter” flags.

Black Lives Matter faces test of its influence in election

“Black Lives Matter saved us, because we had nobody,” said Jones. Now, BLM’s influence faces a test, as voters in Tuesday’s election consider candidates who endorsed or denounced the BLM movement amid a national reckoning on race. Enter Black Lives Matter. Across social media platforms, the Black Lives Matter movement boasts a following of millions. “Black Lives Matter,” as a slogan, elicited “All Lives Matter” and “Blue Lives Matter” responses from foes.

Is there a racial divide when it comes to length of the voting lines?

Is there a racial divide when it comes to voting wait times at precincts? In 2016, white voters waited an average of 10 minutes, according to a survey of voters conducted by the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In comparison, Black voters waited an average of 16 minutes and Latino voters were in line an average of 13 minutes, according to the survey. During the 2018 election, Black voters waited an average of 11.5 minutes, Latino voters an average of 11.7 minutes and white voters an average of 8.8 minutes, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. In precincts with 90% or more non-white voters, the average wait time was 32.4 minutes and the median was 13.3 minutes.

Environmental groups sue over Portland tear gas use

The federal lawsuit alleges the U.S. government violated federal environmental law by deploying “an unprecedented amount of dangerous chemical weapons” without assessing their environmental impacts beforehand, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act. Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality noted that “the repeated deployment of tear gas in downtown Portland has led to elevated levels of certain contaminants” in stormwater drains. But state officials said air-quality monitors aren’t located nearby and don’t measure tear gas exposure. Medical experts say there are few studies on health effects of tear gas. A European Union agency says it “is very toxic to aquatic life.”Figuring out precisely what tear gas components are in the environment is also a challenge.

White man seeks forgiveness in attack on Black family's home

A 24-year-old white man has been charged with ethnic intimidation and other counts for firing shots into the Hall's home just north of Detroit after the family put a Black Lives Matter sign in their front window. (AP Photo/Corey Williams)WARREN, Mich. – A white man accused of firing shots into the home of a Black suburban Detroit family who put a Black Lives Matter sign in their front window asked for forgiveness during a court hearing Thursday. Frederick told Judge Michael Chupa that he wanted Eddie and Candace Hall to forgive him, though he didn't specify what he did to make him seek their forgiveness. Outside, they discovered the swastika and found that someone had written “terrorist Black Lives Matter,” “not welcome” and a phrase containing an expletive on their pickup truck. A neighbor’s home surveillance video showed a masked and hooded man carrying what appears to be a handgun outside the Halls' home.

Homespun BLM products include cookie kits, garden gnomes

One of the cookie-decorating kits she offers has a Black Lives Matter theme. Other examples of homespun BLM merchandise include wine stoppers and even garden gnomes — objects more often associated with white suburbia. The yellow-and-black-clad gnome — a nod to the colors used on a Black Lives Matter website — wears a “BLM” hat. “Hopefully, someone who sees it is not offended.”He has since gotten a few orders for either Black Lives Matter gnomes or African American gnomes. Kate Mayer, 37, of Cincinnati, decided to offer a Black Lives Matter wine bottle stopper among her dozens of handmade wine stoppers.

Louisville protests continue in Breonna Taylor's name

Protesters spend time in a church lot, Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, in Louisville. Many briefly ended up back at a downtown square that has been a focal point of protests. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer had urged continued peaceful protests in an appearance at a news conference Saturday evening. Cameron said the other officers were not charged with Taylor’s killing because they acted to protect themselves. Since when does freedom and civil rights have a curfew?”___Associated Press writer Claire Galofaro contributed to this report from Louisville.

Trump, social media, right-wing news stir up antifa scares

It's a scene that has unfolded in many other cities and small towns this year, the product of fear and conflict stoked by bogus posts on social media, right-wing news outlets and even some of the nation's most powerful leaders. A man suspected of fatally shooting a Trump supporter after a pro-Trump caravan in Portland, Oregon, last month had described himself in a social media post as “100% ANTIFA." They’re trying to blame all this stuff on antifa, and I’m like, ‘Who exactly is antifa? Adam Klein, an associate professor of communication studies at Pace University, analyzed social media posts by far-right extremists and antifascist activists leading up to the Charlottesville rally three years ago. “You don’t get the sense online that there is an organization as much as there are some prominent (social media) accounts associated with antifa,” he said.

Car caught on video plowing through Black Lives Matter protesters in Times Square

NEW YORK – A passenger in a car that drove through a group of Black Lives Matter protesters in New York's Times Square on Thursday says police have interviewed all six people who were in the car and are continuing to investigate the incident. That’s what happened.”One video of the incident posted on social media showed police officers fanning out to keep protesters away from Germanotta’s group as they got into the car. The video shows the car traveling down the one-way street toward an area where the demonstration is blocking the street. Gibson posted a video on his Facebook page indicating that he was at the Times Square protest Thursday night with Germanotta. The car in videos of the Times Square incident had a bull bar but appeared to be black, while the car featured in a Gibson social media post dated Aug. 5 is white.

Portland's grim reality: 100 days of protests, many violent

Black Lives Matter protests, vigils and speeches marking the occasion are planned over three days and Trump supporters are planning another caravan rally. But smaller protests have continued, with groups of 100 to 200 people marching nightly. The protesters want city officials to slash the police budget and reallocate that money to Black residents and businesses. The tension reached a new high last weekend when the pro-Trump caravan motored into downtown, with some shooting paintballs and spraying bear repellent at Black Lives Matter protesters who tried to block the streets. Lost amid the escalating tensions are the voices of the citys Black residents, who are divided about the best way to keep up the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement.

‘We have to look at racism every day:’ UCF diversity expert weighs in on protests over police shootings

ORLANDO, Fla. – One day after several NBA teams boycotted their games while fighting for racial equality, a person with knowledge of the situation said NBA players decided on Thursday that they want to continue the season. Also on Thursday, several referees led marches on Disney’s campus, where the NBA is currently holding games, in support of the players’ fight for justice. The boycotts come amid nationwide protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. “We have to look at racism every day because it’s not going to go away. He said that reason and others are why he calls the NBA the most progressive sports league in the country.

ACLU sues over federal action in Portland, Oregon, protests

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, challenging the legality of the actions taken by U.S. agents sent by President Donald Trump to subdue protests in Portland. The federal agents exceeded the limits of their authority, making illegal arrests and using tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper spray and other tactics to squelch the protests, the lawsuit alleges. A video of plaintiff and Navy veteran Christopher David's encounter with U.S. agents outside the Portland courthouse circulated widely on social media. It showed one agent hitting David with a baton and another dousing him in the face with pepper spray. Local police have arrested hundreds of people over the three months and federal agents arrested at least 94 people at the height of the demonstrations in July.

Photos: Protesters, authorities clash in Wisconsin after video emerges of police shooting unarmed Black man

This time, the town is Kenosha, Wisconsin, which has about 100,000 people and sits just south of Milwaukee. The city is now trying to quell racial tension after police were caught on camera shooting 29-year-old Jacob Blake in the back multiple times. (2020 Getty Images)A car attempts to drive through a crowd of protesters on Aug. 24, 2020 in Kenosha. (2020 Getty Images)Demonstrators chant in front of a burning truck on Aug. 24, 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. (2020 Getty Images)A man stands with a sign on Aug. 24, 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Protest erupts after Wisconsin police shoot man from behind 7 times

The three officers at the scene were placed on administrative leave, standard practice in a shooting by police, while the state Justice Department investigates. Seven shots can be heard, though it isnt clear how many struck Blake or how many of the officers fired. During the shooting, a Black woman can be seen screaming in the street and jumping up and down. That man just literally grabbed him by his shirt and looked the other way and was just shooting him. We all watched the horrific video of Jacob Blake being shot in the back several times by Kenosha police," Crump said in a statement.

Black creatives in Italian fashion demand cultural reform

Fashion designer Stella Jean talks during an interview with the Associated Press, in Rome, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)MILAN The only Black designer belonging to Italys influential fashion council is demanding a "long overdue cultural reform from her colleagues under the slogan: Do Black Lives Matter in Italy? A frequent refrain from Black creatives in Italian fashion is that they are often the only person of color in the workplace. Stella chafes at the Africa Hub, which promoted five brands during Milan Fashion Week in February. While she won't show in September, she has asked Capasa to host a Black Lives Matter event to kick off "the immediate launch of a long-overdue fashion cultural reform.''

Orlando Black Lives Matter mural defaced again, this time with tire tracks

ORLANDO, Fla. – For a second time since the Black Lives Matter mural was painted in downtown Orlando, crews were out cleaning off the street after a driver intentionally left tire tracks over the words. A large painting that read “Black Lives Matter” down Rosalind Avenue was completed on June 26 following a dedication ceremony from Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and other community leaders. Rosalind Avenue at Washington Avenue was closed for several hours as workers made repairs to the BLM mural. The mural on Rosalind Avenue was the target of vandalism for the first time less than 24 hours after its completion. A Black Lives Matter mural in New York on Fifth Avenue has also been defaced multiple times.

Analysis: Early returns say so far, so good for NBA bubble

If that wasnt enough, the quality of play is so good that its almost like the NBA hadnt stopped playing for 4-1/2 months. In all honestly, its better than I was expecting ... talking about all the teams in general, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. So, you see some of the talents these guys have are coming out.The numbers inside the bubble are ridiculous. Try 36 points again, 18 rebounds and eight assists in the Bucks loss to Houston on Sunday night. The Rockets beat the Mavs 153-149 in overtime Friday and then tried 61 3-pointers to tie an NBA regulation-game record Sunday.

Portland protest peaceful after federal presence reduced

Leshan Terry hold his son Leshan Terry, Jr., 6, during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse on Friday, July 31, 2020, in Portland, Ore. A group identified as Firefighters for Black Lives Matter gathered in a small park a couple miles west of the courthouse. A parade of cars with Black Lives Matter signs taped to their windows slowed traffic in the city. Since then, there have been no visible signs of any federal law enforcement presence outside the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse. And while thousands have marched and rallied peacefully, Portlands federal courthouse became a target for some protesters.

Portland protest scene relatively calm after US drawdown

The agents most nights fired tear gas in return. The mood remained calm at 1 a.m. Friday as the crowd dwindled to about 500 demonstrators. The Democrat also apologized to peaceful demonstrators exposed to tear gas used by Portland police before federal officials arrived. But federal officials insisted that the agents will not leave the city completely and will be kept on standby. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.

Players, coaches kneel before NBA's re-opening night

The NBA had a strong, powerful re-opening night message. Tonight we witnessed sober, powerfully moving and heartfelt demonstrations by our players of their commitment to the pursuit of justice," National Basketball Players Association Executive Director Michele Roberts tweeted. And all the players, all the coaches, are united in that fact and committed to do what we can do to effect long-term change.Many players warmed up wearing shirts that said Black Lives Matter." Thursday also marked the debut of new jerseys bearing messages that many players chose to have added, such as Equality" and Peace." NBA players have used their platforms both in the bubble and on social media to demand equality, to demand justice for Taylor.