A new report has found that 93% of racial justice demonstrations since the murder of George Floyd have been “peaceful and non-destructive.”
What We Know
- The U.S. Crisis report was a joint project by The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project or “ACLED” and the Bridging Divides Initiative (BDI) at Princeton University.
- The report released Thursday collected protest data since the surge of demonstrations following George Floyd’s murder earlier this year in May. According to the ACLED report U.S. demonstrations have drastically surged in 2020, “Between May 24May 24 and August 22August 22, more than 10,600 demonstration events across the country…and nearly 95% involve peaceful protestors.”
- In opposition to many claims, the report also found that 93% of demonstrations specifically associated with the Black Lives Matter movement have been overwhelmingly nonviolent and non-destructive.
- In spite of the peaceful nature of these protests, the report also found that law enforcement authorities intervened in nearly one-tenth of demonstrations. Furthermore, militias and other non-state actors like Antifa, the Proud Boys, and the Ku Klux Klan also intervened in demonstrations.
- According to the report, “Non-state groups are becoming more active and assertive” due to this growing reality, there has also been an increase in the number of counterprotests confronting opposing demonstrators. ACLED found more than 360 counterprotests around the country between May 24 and August 22.
The report by ACLED and BDI confirms that the U.S. is indeed in crisis. The rise in domestic demonstrations comes during the COVID-19 pandemic and an election only two months away.
