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UChicago’s Weekly Civics Briefing
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George Floyd:
Which States Have Seen Protests This Week?
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This past Monday, May 25th, four Minneapolis police officers arrested and killed George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, on suspicion of forgery. At the same time, a video surfaced recording a white officer, named Derek Chauvin, kneeing on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. In response, peaceful protests in Minneapolis started the following day. On Friday, another recording was released on social media revealing that two other officers also kneeled on Floyd’s neck as he pleaded for air. The officers’ claim that Floyd resisted arrest are contradicted by surveillance footage from a local restaurant. Peaceful protests broke out in the Twin Cities and spread across America and the rest of the globe. Thursday, Governor Tim Walz activated the National Guard, in response to the first violent protest in which a Minneapolis police precinct was burned and a Target was looted. President Trump addressed the events with a controversial tweet that stated “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” Notably, when four CNN reporters in Minnesota were asked on Friday morning to move, and the reporters complied, police nonetheless proceeded to arrest the journalists without providing reason. After a four-day delay, Hennepin County District Attorney Mike Freeman on Friday charged Chauvin with second-degree manslaughter and third-degree murder. The other three officers involved remain uncharged. The protests have been trigged by not only Floyd’s death, but the recent deaths of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery at the hands of police.
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FEDERAL NEWS
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Trump vs. Twitter
This past week, Twitter introduced fact-checking labels onto certain tweets to provide more information for readers. The company fact checked two of President Trump’s tweets regarding the possibility of voter fraud as a result of mail-in voting and provided more information on the topic. In response, Trump attacked CEO Jack Dorsey, arguing that the fact-check was politically biased and that the social media website was “completely stifling free speech.” Following this statement, President Trump signed an executive order that intends to make it easier for regulators to argue that social media platforms are limiting freedom of speech. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed disapproval of Twitter’s addition, saying that companies should not be involved in determining what is true and what is not. However, Twitter continues to add new warnings on the President’s tweets, flagging his recent tweet invoking military action in Minneapolis for “glorifying violence”.
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U.S. Uncertainty Over China’s Tighten Grasp on Hong Kong
On May 21, China passed a new national security law expanding power over Hong Kong. The law criminalizes acts of subversion, succession, and terrorism, and allows China to station secret police in the territory to enforce it. Hong Kong will not have a say in the law’s drafting, which will crack down on the protests in Hong Kong by expanding Beijing’s control. China’s actions mark a break in the “one country, two systems” model established in 1997. While the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia signed a joint statement on May 28 condemning China’s move, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had issued a contradictory statement earlier this week. Trump and Congress must decide what stance the U.S. will ultimately take on the issue. The U.S. currently grants Hong Kong special status under the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992, which affects trade, immigration and business exchanges.
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STATE NEWS
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A Timeline of Laws Enacted by the Illinois State Legislature Regarding African Americans
1712: First slaves brought to what is currently Illinois.
1787: Although the Northwest Ordinance prohibited slavery in Illinois, the governor of the territory interpreted it as those who already had slaves could continue to do so.
1803: Slave code legalizes slavery.
1813: Free slaves cannot migrate into Illinois region.
1865: IGA becomes first state legislature to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment that abolishes slavery everywhere in the U.S.
1874: IGA outlaws segregation in public schools.
1885: IGA outlaws racial discrimination in restaurants, hotels, and other public places.
1933: IGA outlaws racial discrimination on state contracts for public works and buildings.
1941: IGA outlaws racial discrimination in all defense contracts for the state.
1997: IGA adopts Illinois Human Rights Act that comprises the prohibition of numerous types of discrimination in different sectors.
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State Passes Budget, But With Concerns
Last Sunday, the Illinois General Assembly passed a state budget for the upcoming budget year. The $40 billion budget was slightly bigger than last year’s due to expanded mail-in ballot programs among other increases and was approved almost entirely on party lines. Republican lawmakers voted against it, criticizing a $5 billion discrepancy between the budget size and the state’s expected revenue. Democratic lawmakers said that the discrepancy was to be made up by the Federal government, a payment which Governor J.B. Pritzker said has not yet been guaranteed.
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COVID-19 cases and deaths in Illinois are declining, with approximately 40 less deaths per day than in past weeks. The state entered phase 3 of reopening on Friday, which allows some non-essential businesses to open with limits on capacity and physical distancing measures in place. Chicago is the only part of the state set to reopen at a later date. Governor JB Prtizker urges people in Illinois to be aware that the virus is still prevalent and to be careful as the state reopens.
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CHICAGO NEWS
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Chicagoans Protest Police Brutality, Death of George Floyd
Chicago was one of many cities nationwide to see protests this week following the death of George Floyd. Protests occurred in Chicago on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday; on Saturday evening, the city government instituted a curfew and closed off several major roads and bridges. Chicago has a history of police violence. Recent incidents of police brutality in Chicago include the high-profile 2014 shooting of Laquan McDonald and 2018 killing of Harith Augustus. An analysis of Chicago Police Department records found that from 2008 to 2015, 74% of the 404 people shot by the police were black. Although the department implemented bias training after the killing of McDonald, many Chicagoans, specifically those in low-income neighbourhoods, still distrust the police force. Past demonstrations over police brutality in Chicago include an August 2019 protest outside of the Chicago Police Department to address the fatal shooting of Joshua Beal, which took place almost exactly a century after the 1919 race riots in Chicago.
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Chicago Plans to Enter Phase 3 of Reopening on June 3
Mayor Lightfoot said in a Thursday announcement that Chicago will start phase three of its reopening plan on Wednesday, June 3rd, two days after the statewide stay-at-home order ends. Chicago’s reopening plan is moving slower than the rest of Illinois under Lightfoot’s discretion. Even so, this next phase will allow many businesses—including retail stores and child care facilities—to reopen on Wednesday. It will then be followed by parks, libraries, and other city services on the 8th. Additionally, this means that restaurants will be able to partially reopen, rather than just doing takeout. Social gatherings of ten or fewer will be permitted to take place. However, Lightfoot was sure to clarify in her address that “under no circumstances should our move to phase three be confused with this crisis being over.” Chicago is currently at a 16.3% COVID-19 positivity rate, much higher than cities like New York City and Los Angeles, whose percentages are 6% and 8%, respectively.
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ELECTION 2020
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Prior to the 2018 midterms former first lady —Michelle Obama— founded When We All Vote, a nonpartisan, non-profit organization committed to increasing voter participation across the country. On Monday, May 18, Obama announced the launch of a new project called “Civic Cities”, which currently consists of 31 mayors who are making a distinct effort to prioritize American voter safety and integrity during the 2020 elections. In order to increase voting access, this initiative promotes online voter registration, early in-person voting and vote-by-mail. Some critics suggest that both digital and mail-in voting methods are susceptible to voter fraud; however, Obama is resolute in her determination to secure the voice of the American people.
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Democratic Presidential Nominee’s Stance on Racial Unrest
Many Americans are aware of the President’s views on the ongoing racial tensions given his executive position. However, his opponent for the upcoming 2020 election has made his views known. Biden spoke in a home video, stating, “if we stand by and remain silent, we are complicit… This is no time for incendiary comments.” The last comment was a direct response to Trump’s initial tweets to the killing, where he implied that there would be a violent response to any protests in Minneapolis. On early Friday morning, Trump tweeted, “I can’t stand & watch this happen… [if the mayor does not] get his act together… I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right.” Later that day, Trump retracted this incendiary statement, declaring, “The family of George is entitled to justice and the people of Minnesota are entitled to live in safety.”
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