Activist Tamika Mallory’s speech during a rally in Minneapolis protesting the death of George Floyd has gone viral online.
“This is a coordinated activity happening across this nation, and so we are in a state of emergency. Black people are dying in a state of emergency,” said Tamika Mallory, 39, who formerly worked with Al Sharpton’s National Action Network in New York.
“We cannot look at this as an isolated incident. The reason buildings are burning are not just for our brother George Floyd.
“We cannot look at this as an isolated incident. The reason buildings are burning are not just for our brother George Floyd. … They’re burning down because people here in Minnesota are saying to people in New York, to people in California, to people in Memphis, to people across this nation, enough is enough.
“America has looted black people. America looted the Native Americans when they first came here. Looting is what you do. We learned it from you. We learned violence from you. If you want us to do better, then damnit, you do better.
PHOTO: daymonjhartley.com
“So if you are not coming to the people’s defense then do not challenge us when young people and other people are frustrated and instigated by the people you pay. You are paying instigators to be among our people out there throwing rocks, breaking windows and burning down buildings.
“And so young people are responding to that. They are enraged. And there’s an easy way to stop it. Arrest the cops. Charge the cops. Charge all the cops. Not just some of them. Not just here in Minneapolis. Charge them in every city across America where our people are being murdered.
“Don’t talk to us about looting. Y’all are the looters!”
“America has looted Black people! America looted the Native Americans when they first came here, so looting is what you do. We learned it from you.”
