The protests rage on.
For days, people have filled the streets across America to protest the death of George Floyd. Floyd, a black man, died on May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer placed his knee on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes, ignoring Floyd’s pleas that he couldn’t breathe. The officer, Derek Chauvin, has since been fired and charged with both third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
More than a week later, the three other officers involved in Floyd’s arrest have not been charged though they were fired. Protests have taken place in at least 140 cities, according to ABC News, and thousands of people have joined internationally to protest Floyd’s death and police brutality.
Protests aren’t the only avenue to seek justice for Floyd. You should also consider donating to organizations working to end police brutality and taking steps to become anti-racist. For those taking to the streets, here are a few ways you can find protests in honor of the 46-year-old father.
1. Leverage Twitter
Twitter is a great way to stay up-to-date on upcoming protests, sometimes before the news is even alerted of them. To use Twitter to find George Floyd or anti-police brutality protests, you can search “George Floyd protests [your location] today” or “anti-police brutality protests [your location] today.” Replace “today” with “tomorrow” or “this week” for further information.
Additionally, you can follow racial justice activists on Twitter to learn more about anti-racism, mass incarceration, and police brutality. To start, google racial justice organizations, such as Color of Change, Dream Defenders, and the Equal Justice Initiative, and follow their founders; look at who they follow and who follows them to get more suggestions.
2. Use Facebook’s “event” tab
Facebook can also help you find local activism events. Locate the “Events” tab on Facebook, and search “protest” or “march” along with Floyd’s full name to find anti-police brutality demonstrations near you.
You can also search for activist groups or pages on Facebook and follow them to stay in the know about upcoming protests. If you don’t know where to get started, Funders for Justice, a virtual organizing space focused on racial justice and police accountability, has a list of related organizations.
3. Check out local advocacy groups
If your social media search doesn’t pan out, look for advocacy groups in your area. They might be the ones organizing protests and may also provide useful advice for how to protect yourself during a demonstration — physically, legally, and digitally.
Check if there’s a local Black Lives Matter chapter in your area, as some have posted about George Floyd rallies and vigils. You can also follow your local Black Lives Matter group on Instagram, if they have an account. Information about protests may also be posted in Stories.
Black Lives Matter’s website lists each chapter’s email address, website, Facebook page, and Twitter handle, so consider getting in touch directly if you don’t see anything on their social media or website about protests.
If you want to also take action beyond protests, you can join a week of action planned by the advocacy group Movement for Black Lives. The week of action started on Monday and runs through Friday,
The M4BL with organizers mobilizing across the country, invite you to take part in a week of action from June 1st to 5th in Defense of Black Lives. This is an opportunity to uplift and fight alongside those turning up in the streets and online.#DefundPolice #DefendBlackLife pic.twitter.com/bYjjdESiLh
— Movement 4 Black Lives (@Mvmnt4BlkLives) June 2, 2020
Some of its suggestions include donating money to national bail funds and starting a community garden as a complementary effort to support and uplift people protesting in-person and online, according the coalition’s website.