In the last few days, Rhode Island has erupted, along with cities across the country, in protests of grief, anger and violence in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a black man from Minneapolis who died after a police officer, now fired, knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. On Saturday, more than 1000 people gathered in downtown Providence, in a peaceful gathering to protest police brutality and the death of Floyd. Community leaders, including Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, have come forward in support of the call for justice and the need to address racism and inequality.
Late Monday night and Tuesday morning, another group converged on Providence. This time, it was mayhem. Reporter John Bender was on the scene and describes a night of chaos downtown. Small fires on sidewalks. A police car ablaze. The sound of breaking glass. At one point, when he was in our downtown newsroom at about 4 am Tuesday morning with Morning Edition host Chuck Hinman, a brick smashed through the window. The National Guard has been deployed. Curfews in some local communities are now in place. Businesses and residents are bracing for whatever might come next.
Many people, in government and in the community, are saying Tuesday morning’s mayhem was not a protest, it was simply vandalism, unrelated to the outpouring of anger since the death of George Floyd. Providence City Council President Sabina Matos said the night was “an attack on the spirit and good name of the city”, and urged people not to let the events of early Tuesday morning “tarnish the peaceful call and movement for reform”.
We don’t think this is a simple story. There is a lot we don’t know today and much remains to be sorted out about what happened Tuesday. We’ll continue to report this story, looking for answers and insights. But what we do know is that our country and our communities are in turmoil, struggling with long-standing racial divisions further strained by a global pandemic. What we do know is that Rhode Island is part of a bigger story playing out in cities, large and small, across our country.
What we also know is that we need you to help us tell the stories. There are many. We want your voices driving the journalism that we do.
So here’s a question: Political response to the protests and the violence is widely mixed. What do you think? Are you angry? Despairing? Hopeful for change? Share your views. Your stories.
We’ll share them with our audience.
Thanks.
Sally
Sally Eisele
Chief Content Officer
The Public’s Radio
