The Juneteenth flag is flying across the US

March 2024 · 2 minute read

Anti-racist protests continue to spread following the death of George Floyd, leading to calls to defund police departments, shake up corporations and institutions, and take down historic statues.

If you're just joining us, here are the latest developments.

Officer in Rayshard Brooks shooting in court: Former Atlanta Police officer Garrett Rolfe has been moved from the Fulton County Jail to another metro-Atlanta facility for security reasons, according to three law enforcement sources. Rolfe, who faces 11 charges related to the death of Rayshard Brooks, will appear in court today.

Rayshard Brooks' viewing: The viewing will be held on June 22 at Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET, and will be open to the public.

It's 155 years since the end of slavery: Friday marks Juneteenth, the oldest known holiday honoring the end of slavery in the United States. This year, more than a dozen companies are giving employees a paid day off, as White America faces a wake-up call.

Brands and institutions under review: Colgate has announced a review of its toothpaste brand Darlie, which once featured a smiling White man in blackface. England's rugby union authority is reviewing the use of slave-era song "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" as a fan chant and the Bank of England has apologized for former governors’ links to the slave trade.

Senior US State Department official resigns: Mary Elizabeth Taylor, assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs, is resigning from her post over President Donald Trump's response to the surge of protests against racial injustice and police brutality, The Washington Post reported.

Indictment in Cameron Lamb case: Jackson County grand jury has indicted Kansas City police officer Eric DeValkenaere in the fatal shooting of Cameron Lamb in December 2019. Lamb was shot while sitting in his pickup truck as he was backing into his garage.

New York City Council passes sweeping police reform bills: The package comes after a years-long battle for the bills to be voted on, some which have been in the works since the death of Eric Garner in 2014. The six bills include one that requires officers’ badge numbers to be visible, an official ban on chokeholds and one requiring the NYPD to disclose how they use surveillance technology. 

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