USA: The world is watching: Mass violations by U.S. police of Black Lives Matter protesters’ rights

On 25 May 2020, George Floyd was detained, tortured and extrajudicially executed by Minneapolis Police Department officers. His death sparked widespread protests across the USA and the world and a long-overdue conversation about systemic racism and policing. This report highlights the shocking failure to limit the use of force by law enforcement to situations where it is necessary and proportionate to an actual threat. The report ends with a series of recommendations to federal, state and local authorities to ensure accountability for these violations and to address the urgent need for police reform, including the policing of protests, in the USA.

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