For five days and nights following the death of George Floyd on May 25, the city of Minneapolis was the scene of riots, arson, and looting. A two-mile stretch of Lake Street, located twenty blocks south of downtown, was almost completely burned. Local politicians’ reactions to the riots were sympathetic: officials expressed solidarity with the rioters’ concerns, the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct station house was abandoned to the rioters, and force adequate to end the violence, in the form of the National Guard, was not used for several days. Minneapolis’s City Council responded to the Floyd riots by vowing to defund the city’s police department. Lacking legal authority to do that, the Council passed a measure that would put defunding the department on the ballot at this year’s election, an initiative that the city’s Charter Commission mercifully tabled. Nevertheless, retirements and disability claims have significantly reduced the police department’s manpower. A group of Minneapolis residents, mostly black, have sued the city, alleging that the number of police officers has fallen below the legally required minimum. Subscribers, click here to read the full magazine. Not a subscriber? Click here to become a Patriot member today and receive access
LONDON: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have quit social media after growing disillusioned by the "hate" they have found on sites like Facebook and Twitter, a UK newspaper reported on Sunday.The couple were rejecting social media in both a personal and professional capacity as part of their new "progressive role" in the United States, the Sunday Times said.A source close to the couple told the newspaper they had "no plans" to use social media for their new Archewell Foundation and were "very unlikely" to restart utilising platforms personally.The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who moved to California last year after abruptly resigning from British royal duties, have previously had prominent presences online.They amassed more than 10 million Instagram followers to their Sussex Royal account while they were working royals.But the couple have also previously complained about their treatment on social media, as well as in the British press.Meghan described past trolling of her as "almost unsurvivable" while Harry issued an unprecedented statement in 2016 denouncing "the racial undertones of comment pieces" and "the sexism and racism of social media trolls".Last year they launched a wide-ranging non-profit organisation, Archewell, after giving up their "Sussex Royal" brand as part of the terms
Here is how world leaders are reacting to US President Joe Biden's inauguration on Wednesday, replacing Donald Trump.INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI, ON TWITTER:"The India-U.S. partnership is based on shared values. We have a substantial and multifaceted bilateral agenda, growing economic engagement and vibrant people to people linkages. Committed to working with President @JoeBiden to take the India-U.S. partnership to even greater heights.”"Congratulations to @KamalaHarris on being sworn-in as @VP. It is a historic occasion. Looking forward to interacting with her to make India-USA relations more robust."AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER SCOTT MORRISON, ON TWITTER:“Congratulations to President @JoeBiden and Vice President @KamalaHarris on your inauguration. The Australia-U.S. Alliance has never been more important. I wish you both every success for your time in office and look forward to working closely with your new administration."NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER JACINDA ARDERN, IN A STATEMENT:"We have a common investment in the international rules-based order and I welcome President Biden’s intentions for the U.S. to re-join the Paris Agreement and halt its withdrawal from the World Health Organization.""President Biden’s message of unity as he takes office is one that resonates with New Zealanders and, on behalf of New Zealand, I wish him well as he begins
