Man left nooses for BLM supporters, harassed Starbucks workers, DOJ says
The Justice Department announced Wednesday that Kenneth Pilon faces hate crime charges for what it calls “willfully intimidating and attempting to intimidate citizens from engaging in lawful speech and protests in support of Black Lives Matter.”
washingtonpost.comBLM silent when confronted with data showing massive 2020 spike in Black murders victims
The Black Lives Matter organization did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on 2020's murder spike among Black Americans and experts pointing to BLM and defund the police movements for contributing.
news.yahoo.comNYC Mayor questions BLM over recent gun violence: ‘Where are those who stated Black Lives Matter? The victims were Black’
New York City Mayor Eric Adams ripped the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of the deadly subway shooting […] The post NYC Mayor questions BLM over recent gun violence: ‘Where are those who stated Black Lives Matter? The victims were Black’ appeared first on TheGrio.
news.yahoo.comShe was told she could vote again after felony convictions. Now she’s in prison for trying.
Pamela Moses was convicted of voter fraud in Tennessee and sentenced to six years in prison, even though officials who signed off on her being eligible to vote acknowledged that they made an error in saying her rights had been restored.
washingtonpost.comSchools across America implement BLM Week of Action that calls for 'disruption of Western nuclear family'
The week of action started on Monday in several schools from Washington state to Massachusetts, bringing to classrooms the activist-based curriculum that preaches controversial ideas.
news.yahoo.comBLM transferred millions to Canadian charity to buy mansion formerly owned by Communist Party: report
Black Lives Matter (BLM) moved millions of dollars to a charity in Canada run by the wife of co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors to purchase a mansion that used to be the headquarters of the Communist Party of Canada, according to public records reviewed by the New York Post.
news.yahoo.comThey came, they saw, they reckoned? : Code Switch
It's now been more than a year since the so-called "racial reckoning" that marked the summer of 2020. The country, some said confidently, was having the biggest racial reckoning since the civil rights movement. But since then, the Code Switch team has been wondering...what was actually being reckoned with? And by whom? And what would the backlash be?
npr.orgMarjorie 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-...
news.yahoo.comIsraeli police hail fast response of security forces in Jerusalem attack
TO COMPLETE VIDI9T37RN_EN AND VIDI9T37HU_EN Israeli police commander Doron Turjeman hails the "sharp" reaction of the Jerusalem district police after a gunman opened fire in the Old City of Jerusalem, killing one person and wounding three others.
news.yahoo.comPolice: Teens driven by racial hatred targeted BLM leader
Authorities say three teenagers driven by racial hatred were behind hoax calls that brought major police responses to the home of a leading Black Lives Matter activist in Los Angeles. The teenagers, aged 13 to 16, connected over the Discord chat platform and are suspects in more than 30 bomb threats and so-called “swatting” incidents across the country, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Police did not identify Abdullah by name as a victim of the teens, but listed her block as the location of two of the swatting incidents.
news.yahoo.comCroatians protest against tightened Covid measures
Hundreds of Croatians protested on Thursday for the fourth day in Zagreb and other cities against obligatory certificates for the public sector as the country's Covid-19 cases hit a record high. Earlier this month the authorities introduced more restrictive measures to fight the record surge of coronavirus infections since the start of the pandemic with some of Europe's lowest inoculation rates.
news.yahoo.comBlack Lives Matter activists threaten ‘riots’ if Mayor-elect Eric Adams reinstates NYPD anti-crime units
NEW YORK — Leaders of the city’s Black Lives Matter movement on Wednesday threatened “riots” and “bloodshed” in the streets if Mayor-elect Eric Adams reverses the abolition of the NYPD’s controversial anti-crime units. “If he thinks that they’re going to go back to the old ways of policing, then we are going to take to the streets again. There will be riots, there will be fire and there will ...
news.yahoo.comUnited Airlines CEO Scott Kirby talks vaccine mandate, $1,000 employee bonuses, holiday travel
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby joins "CBS Mornings" to discuss his decision to be the first major U.S. airline to implement a vaccine mandate for all employees. Plus, he talks about giving $1,000 bonuses to all employees during the pandemic and how the airline is preparing for holiday travel.
news.yahoo.comDemocrats will have to make "difficult decisions" to reduce size of social and climate package, Pelosi says
The House is voting on a short-term fix to extend the government's ability to borrow money. Meanwhile, Democrats are trying to figure out how to potentially cut trillions of dollars from the president's proposed social spending and climate package. CBS News' director of elections and surveys Anthony Salvanto and CBS News senior White House and political correspondent Ed O'Keefe join "Red and Blue" anchor Elaine Quijano. Later, The Washington Post's national political reporter Eugene Scott and Business Insider's senior politics reporter Eliza Relman discuss the latest on Capitol Hill.
news.yahoo.comKim Jong Un vows to build 'invincible' military while reviewing missiles developed to reach the U.S.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reviewed powerful missiles developed to launch nuclear strikes on the U.S. mainland, as he vowed to build an “invincible” military to cope with what he called persistent U.S. hostility, state media reported Tuesday.
news.yahoo.comCity officials move to fire Miami police chief after 6 months
Miami officials have decided to fire the city’s new police chief six months into his stormy tenure, after he was lambasted by city commissioners who he accused of meddling in the police department and internal affairs investigations.
news.yahoo.comIndigenous leader calls for 'everyone's help' to save Amazon
Birds chirp near a river in the Ecuadorian jungle, five hours from the capital Quito, as Gregorio Mirabal expresses fear for the 500 tribes that often act as guardians of the Amazon rainforest and who face attacks, and even death, as a result.
news.yahoo.comOregon school board adopts stricter political symbols ban
An Oregon school board that acted last month to ban educators from displaying Black Lives Matter and gay pride symbols has broadened the policy to prohibit district employees from displaying all types of political symbols. The move by the Newberg School Board last month to keep staff from displaying BLM or gay pride flags prompted strong criticism and threats to boycott the town of about 25,000 people southwest of Portland and its businesses. Oregon Public Broadcasting reported the board rescinded that rule Tuesday night and enacted a more sweeping policy banning any kind of political symbols, including those that support BLM or LGBTQ issues.
news.yahoo.comBlack Americans resettling in Ghana
After Black Lives Matter protests exploded around the world - Ghana's Tourism Minister encouraged African Americans to move to her country, saying you don't have to "stay where you are not wanted." The calls followed a 2019 campaign that encouraged descendants of African diaspora to return to the nation where four centuries earlier their ancestors were forced into slavery. CBS correspondent Debora Patta meets one African American who was so fed up with the trauma of racism that she moved across the world to make Ghana her home.
news.yahoo.comAfter Altercation at Restaurant, Black Lives Matter Claims NYC Vaccine Mandate Is Being Weaponized
After a skirmish involving NYC's vaccine mandate and African-American patrons erupted at Carmine's restaurant in the Upper West Side last week, Black Lives Matter of Greater New York and related organizations converged in front of the establishment Monday to protest.
news.yahoo.comBoard member who called BLM activists “true racists” leaves major apparel company
One of the world's biggest apparel companies said a board member, Veronica Wu, stepped down on Tuesday, days after emails obtained by Axios showed Wu dismissed racism in America and said Black Lives Matter activists were the "true racists."What they're saying: VF Corp. — which owns iconic brands like The North Face, Timberland and Supreme — said Wu's decision to resign "was not the result of any disagreement with VF on any matter relating to VF’s operations, policies or practices."Stay on top of
news.yahoo.comDetroit filmmaker shares dramatic personal stories of inner city life
Following the conviction of Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd, and after nearly a year of outrage at the handling of some police departments and the Black community, it seems as though the entire nation is laser focused on justice and equality for Black communities everywhere.
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.
Floyd family, leaders hold prayer service on eve of trial
As Minneapolis braces for Mondays opening statements in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the ex-officer who is charged with murder and manslaughter in George Floyds death, so does the world. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole, File)MINNEAPOLIS – National civil rights leaders appeared alongside several family members of George Floyd at a prayer service Sunday night, hours before opening statements were set to begin in the murder trial of the former Minneapolis police officer charged in his death. Several dozen attendees congregated in the benches at Greater Friendship Missionary Church, where preachers led worship, a choir sang and members of George Floyd's family were joined by the Rev. The speakers called for justice in George Floyd's death, mirroring the words spoken by leaders during a protest earlier Sunday in downtown Minneapolis. George Floyd, who was Black, was declared dead on May 25 after Chauvin, who is white, pressed his knee on George Floyd’s neck for about nine minutes while George Floyd was handcuffed and pleading that he couldn’t breathe.
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.
Jury selection continues in Derek Chauvin’s trial in death of George Floyd
Judge Peter Cahill seated two more jurors to go with the three picked Tuesday for Derek Chauvin’s trial on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges. In a separate development, the Minnesota Supreme Court declined to hear Chauvin's appeal to block a third-degree murder charge from being reinstated. The Minnesota Court of Appeals last week said it settled the law with its ruling last month affirming the conviction of Mohamed Noor in the 2017 shooting death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. Legal experts say giving the jury another option for convicting Chauvin of murder raises the chance of a conviction. “Go ahead and throw me under the bus with your fiancée.”___Find AP’s full coverage of the death of George Floyd: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
52% of law enforcement officers dislike current state-mandated diversity training, study finds
Speedlin Gonzalez and a team of five graduate students began a study that would ask law enforcement officers across the state what they would like to see when it comes to diversity training. Three hundred twenty-four current law enforcement officers across the state were asked about this training, and the results were surprising. They found it highly unsatisfactory, and that doesn’t even include those who found it slightly unsatisfactory,” Speedlin Gonzalez said. While the goal of police reform is well-intended, the study, which is one of a kind because it asks law enforcement about their experience, offers a different perspective. The program should be fluid and adaptable to fit into the communities where officers work.
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.
Local activists say they will continue to honor King through their own work
Ezequiel Allen, a Buffalo Soldier who participated in this year’s festivities, said the group is counting to honor the life and legacy of King. “I definitely think Dr. King believes in Black Lives Matter,” Reiffert said. “There’s a vaccine out for COVID, but there’s still nothing being done about racism,” Reiffert said. Local activist Kimiya Factory said she believes it is important for people to live King’s legacy through their own actions. It’s not good.”Related: San Antonio community leaders reflect on Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy
Texas man who posted threatening video sentenced to prison
EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso man who posted a video online threatening to kill Black Lives Matter protesters has been sentenced to nearly two years in federal prison, officials said. Manuel Flores, 43, was sentenced Tuesday to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty last year to posting a threatening communication over the internet. He's been in custody since his arrest in June, the El Paso Times reported. In the video, Flores displays an AR-15-style rifle and said it was his “dream” to kill Black protesters who had gathered in response to George Floyd's death last year. According to court records, Flores was remorseful and apologetic when he was questioned by agents and said he’d been drinking when he posted the video and didn’t recall making the threats.
Black Lives Matter supporters in San Antonio point to double standard for mobs at US Capitol
SAN ANTONIO – Watching largely white mobs rampage through the U.S. Capitol, supporters of the local Black Lives Matter movement said the disparity was painfully obvious. “If those were black people, what we would have saw was a bloody Wednesday,” said Valerie Reiffert, a founder of Radical Registrars. Dr. Gregory Hudspeth, president of the San Antonio branch of the NAACP, agrees with Reiffert. Hudspeth said President Donald Trump has “invited” domestic terrorism, one of the reasons why the NAACP wants him impeached. Factory said what needs to happen are “uncomfortable conversations” and support for groups that advocate change like Black Freedom Factory.
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.
Analyzing 2020: Racial justice and police reform
Demonstrations for racial justice and against police violence began in Texas and across the country after the killing of Houston native George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. But as November’s general election approached, Republican politicians began to rally behind police, decrying protesters and campaigning on law and order. June 4Events — and their own words — put Texas Republicans in an election year bindTexas Democrats convened last week. But it was the state's Republicans giving them the most hope about the coming November elections. June 8With elections coming, Texas Republican leaders join the thin blue lineFreezing local taxes in Texas cities that cut police funding sounds better than it works.
These photos show why 2020 was an unprecedented year for social activism
(Photo by Nathan Howard)In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 might go down as the year of social activism and protests. Here are some photos of social activism around the country in 2020. Protesters clash with Washington D.C. police at Black Lives Matter Plaza on Dec. 12. Photo by Michael M. Santiago (Getty Images)Demonstrators attend a Blue Lives Matter protest on July 25 in Chicago. Photo by Scott Olson (Getty Images)Protesters hold peace signs in support of Black Lives Matter on July 25 in Oakland, California.
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.
Watch: Google’s 2020 recap is the most moving thing you’ll watch today
Each year, Google creates a video reviewing the year, and in 2020, there was a lot to unpack. “And in a year that tested everyone around the world, ‘why’ was searched more than ever.”A few:Why is Democracy important? As a whole, we may not have found all the answers we were searching for, but we kept asking. The questions inspired joy, excitement, some made us cry, and some made us worry about where the human race could be heading. But if there’s anything this video highlights, it’s that we all kept the strength to continue, and we were not defeated -- we persevered.
29 moving images that paint the picture of an epic 2020
(2020 Getty Images.) (2020 Getty Images)A man holds up a sign near a burning building during protests sparked by the death of George Floyd while in police custody on May 29 in Minneapolis. (2020 Getty Images)A girl holds her fist in the air while visiting the memorial for George Floyd on June 9 in Minneapolis. (2020 Getty Images)An injured man rests in a chair after a large explosion on Aug. 4 in Beirut, Lebanon. (2020 Getty Images)
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.
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.
Secret grand jury files in Breonna Taylor case to be public
Black Lives Matter protesters march, Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, in Louisville. Breonna Taylor's family demanded Friday that Kentucky authorities release all body camera footage, police files and the transcripts of the grand jury hearings that led to no charges against police officers who killed the Black woman during a March drug raid at her apartment. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
FBI arrests man for posing as Black Lives Matter leader, collecting donations for personal use
TOLEDO, Ohio – An Atlanta-based activist and actor has been arrested for fraudulently utilizing a Black Lives Matter non-profit and posing as an organization leader, according to the Cleveland Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “In June 2020, BLMGA’s social media page received approximately $36,493.80 in donations; in July 2020, it received approximately $370,933.69 in donations; and in August 2020, an additional $59,914.69 in donations. In early September 2020, Page used a personal bank account in his name to accept a transfer of funds from the BLMGA account to purchase a pistol and two rifles. Page posted numerous videos and showcased newly purchased items on live-streams on social media platforms, the FBI said. Related: FBI: Man arrested in San Antonio for providing support to ISIS, discussing possible terror attacks on U.S. soil
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.
San Antonio teacher fired for refusing to stop wearing Black Lives Matter face mask, CNN reports
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio teacher was fired for continuing to wear a Black Lives Matter face mask, even though it was against school policy, according to a CNN report. Lillian White, an art teacher at the Great Hearts Western Hills public charter school in San Antonio, started wearing the face mask once the school reopened for in-person classes. When she was wearing the mask, which read “Black Lives Matter” and Silence is Violence," students were not back on campus, CNN reports. White told CNN she wore the mask to “demonstrate her support for Black students and faculty,” and to also “advocate for an anti-racism action plan and a more diverse curriculum." On Sept. 5, White was told by the school her employment was terminated for her refusal to wear a different mask, CNN reports.
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.
Texas woman says she was fired by Whataburger for wearing a Black Lives Matter mask
Over the summer, two Texas teachers faced disciplinary action from their schools, one for wearing a mask and the other for displaying a Black Lives Matter sign, among other signs, in her virtual classroom. Meanwhile in Ohio, a Taco Bell worker was fired for refusing to take off his Black Lives Matter mask; the same happened to a convenience store worker in New Jersey. Ma'kiya Congious, 19, lost her job at the fast-food chain shortly after her supervisor told her to remove her Black Lives Matter mask, when a white customer complained, said her attorney Jason Smith. In the complaint, Congious said she was let go by the fast-food restaurant because of her race and for having the words “Black Lives Matter” on her mask. I hope she sues,” said Ashton P. Woods, founder of the Houston chapter of Black Lives Matter, in a statement.
Local activist says Gov. Abbott’s proposals prove he doesn’t care about Black lives
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio activist who has organized peaceful protests and made strides in registering demonstrators to vote said Gov. Greg Abbott’s proposals aimed at creating stiffer penalties for those who riot and loot at protests are proof that Black lives don’t matter to him. Reiffert said she understands how rioters and looters distract from the message of the Black Lives Matter movement. Reiffert believes new legislative proposals centered around current events need to address ways to help outraged communities heal and improve people’s trust in government systems. The governor’s ideas are currently legislative proposals, which means before they become actionable, the state House and Senate must pass the bills before the governor signs them off.
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.
San Antonio realtor fired for threatening to ‘hunt’ Black Lives Matter protesters
SAN ANTONIO – Ron Reyes, a San Antonio Realtor, has been let go from Keller Williams Realty after posting controversial comments on Facebook earlier this week. WE ARE GONNA FOLLOW YOU TO THE HOLES YOU LIVE IN AND TAKE IT STRAIGHT TO YOU. Reyes is referring to an incident that occurred in downtown San Antonio Saturday when a man appeared to drive a Ford pickup truck, adorned with American and Trump 2020 flags, through a group of Black Lives Matter protesters yelling for them to "get the f**k out of the way, MySanAntonio.com reported. No injuries were reported due to the incident but police have said they are looking into the incident. There no longer appears to be an active social media page on Facebook for Reyes.
Woman arrested after leaving children home while she attended Black Lives Matter meeting, BCSO says
SAN ANTONIO – A woman is facing a charge of child abandonment after deputies say they found her children home alone while she attended a Black Lives Matter meeting. Deputies arrested Jourdyn Parks after they were called to the home in northeast Bexar County. When deputies asked them where their mother was, they say the older child told them that Parks was at a Black Lives Matter meeting and would be home soon. Deputies also said the child claimed that Parks would leave them alone often. Parks was taken into custody when she arrived home.