Ex-Minneapolis police chief recalls 'absolutely gut-wrenching' moment of seeing George Floyd video

Ex-Minneapolis police chief recalls 'absolutely gut-wrenching' moment of seeing George Floyd video

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Former Minneapolis Police ChiefMedaria Arradondovividly remembers receiving a call around midnight from a community activist. The caller told him to watch a video spreading on social media of a white officer pinning a Black man to the ground, despite his fading pleas of "I can't breathe." The dying man wasGeorge Floyd.The officer wasDerek Chauvin.And Arradondo was the city's first Black police chief. "It was absolutely gut-wrenching," Arradondo, 58, recalled in an interview ahead of the fifth anniversary ofFloyd's murder. What he saw conflicted with what his own people had told him about the deadly encounter, and he knew immediately it would mean changes for his department and city. But he acknowledged he didn't immediately foresee how deeply Floyd's death would reverberate in the U.S. and around the world. "I served for 32 years," he said. "But there's no doubt May 25th, 2020, is a defining moment for me in my public service career." Thevideo showsChauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck, pinning him to the pavement outside a convenience store where Floyd had tried to use a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes. Chauvin maintained the pressure for 9 1/2 minutes despite pleas from onlookers to stop, even after anoff-duty firefightertried to intervene and another officer said he couldn't find a pulse. "Remnants of pain and anger" Arradondo sat for the interview in a public library that was heavily damaged in the unrest that followed Floyd's death. It's on Lake Street, a major artery that saw some of the worst destruction, a street that he says still bears "remnants of the pain and anger of what occurred five years ago." Just down the block, there's the empty shell of a police station that was torched during the riots. And within sight is a Target store and a Cub Foods supermarket that were looted. Storefronts remain boarded up. While some businesses were rebuilt, empty lots sit where others did not. Arradondo still stands by his and Mayor Jacob Frey's decision to abandon the Third Precinct and let it burn. Protesters breached the building, and police — who were spread thin — didn't have the resources to hold it. So he ordered his officers to evacuate. "During the most significant crisis we've ever experienced, arguably in the state, when it's life or death, I've got to go on the side of keeping people alive and safe," he said. Police reform Arradondo subsequently helpedlaunch an overhaulof policing in the citydespite a resistantpolice culture and apowerful officers union.Hetestified against Chauvinin his 2021 murder trial, arare breach of the "blue wall"that traditionally protects officers from being held accountable for wrongdoing. Five years on, Arradondo,who retired in 2022,said he believes law enforcement agencies nationwide have made progress on police accountability — albeit incremental progress — and that police chiefs and sheriffs now move faster to hold officers responsible for egregious misconduct. Arradondowas promoted to chiefin 2017, and his elevation wasgreeted with hopeamong local African Americans who affectionately called him "Rondo." But his department had a reputation for being too quick to use force and many were angry about police killing young Black men in Minnesota and beyond. Arradondo said he wishes he had made more changes to the police department before Floyd was killed. "I would have pushed harder and sooner at trying to dismantle some of the toxic culture that allowed that indifference to exist that evening, on May 25th, 2020," he said. "I certainly would have invested more time elevating the voices in our community that had been pleading with police departments for decades to listen to us and change." Making amends Arradondo just published a book, "Chief Rondo: Securing Justice for the Murder of George Floyd," that explores leadership, justice and race, the broader impacts of policing, and the challenges of working within a flawed system. He closes it with a letter dedicated toFloyd's daughter, Gianna. "I never had an opportunity to meet Gianna, but I wanted her to know that, even though I was not out there that evening, at that intersection when her father was pleading for help, that I heard him, and I was going to do everything I could to bring him justice," he said. He wanted to say the words that she has not heard from thefour former officerswho were convicted for their roles in George Floyd's death: "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for your father being taken from you."

byDan Dunne

in

May 23, 2025

Ex-Minneapolis police chief recalls 'absolutely gut-wrenching' moment of seeing George Floyd video

Ex-Minneapolis police chief recalls 'absolutely gut-wrenching' moment of seeing George Floyd video MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Former Minneap...

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AP PHOTOS: Looking back at 10 days in 2020 of fervent non-stop protests for George Floyd

AP PHOTOS: Looking back at 10 days in 2020 of fervent non-stop protests for George Floyd

As cellphone video documenting the last breaths ofGeorge Floydspread across the internet, so did the collective outrage. For 10 consecutive days after his murder at the hands of Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day in 2020,protests eruptedacross the U.S., not just in major cities but suburbs and small towns, too. Five years later, the Justice Department underPresident Donald Trumphascanceled a settlementwith Minneapolis and Louisville, Kentucky, to reform their police departments. "It's a symbolic nod from the state to police departments around the nation that they can continue discriminating and abusing Black people without worry," the Movement for Black Lives said in remarks exclusive to The Associated Press. "So while they attempt to rollback our wins and erase our history, we will continue to care for one another ... so we can keep working toward our vision of freedom and liberation that this administration fears." Images from that time show how the risks of a still raging pandemic did not deter demonstrators. Some marched. Others kneeled. Many referenced Floyd's final words: "I can't breathe." His face and "Black Lives Matter" became avatars on signs, streets and public buildings. Some police officers faced down protesters with riot gear while others knelt in solidarity. In one image that perfectly encapsulates the tension, a police officer and a protester — both Black — clasp their hands in the middle of a standoff during a New York City rally for justice for Floyd. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editor Patrick Sison in New York.

byDan Dunne

in

May 23, 2025

AP PHOTOS: Looking back at 10 days in 2020 of fervent non-stop protests for George Floyd

AP PHOTOS: Looking back at 10 days in 2020 of fervent non-stop protests for George Floyd As cellphone video documenting the last breaths ofG...

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Israeli soldiers and former detainees tell AP Israel's use of human shields in Gaza is widespread

Israeli soldiers and former detainees tell AP Israel's use of human shields in Gaza is widespread

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The only times the Palestinian man wasn't bound or blindfolded, he said, was when he was used byIsraeli soldiersas theirhuman shield. Dressed in army fatigues with a camera fixed to his forehead, Ayman Abu Hamadan was forced into houses inthe Gaza Stripto make sure they were clear of bombs and gunmen, he said. When one unit finished with him, he was passed to the next. "They beat me and told me: 'You have no other option; do this or we'll kill you,'" the 36-year-old told The Associated Press, describing the 2 1/2 weeks he was held last summer by the Israeli military innorthern Gaza. Orders often came from the top, and at times nearly every platoon used a Palestinian to clear locations, said an Israeli officer, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. Several Palestinians and soldiers told the AP that Israeli troops are systematically forcing Palestinians to act as human shields in Gaza, sending them into buildings and tunnels to check for explosives or militants. The dangerous practice has become ubiquitousduring 19 months of war, they said. In response to these allegations, Israel's military says it strictly prohibits using civilians as shields — a practice it has long accused Hamas of using in Gaza. Israeli officials blame the militants for the civiliandeath toll in its offensive that has killed tens of thousandsof Palestinians. In a statement to the AP, the military said it also bans otherwise coercing civilians to participate in operations, and "all such orders are routinely emphasized to the forces." The military said it's investigating several cases alleging that Palestinians were involved in missions, but wouldn't provide details. It didn't answer questions about the reach of the practice or any orders from commanding officers. The AP spoke with seven Palestinians who described being used as shields in Gaza andthe occupied West Bankand with two members of Israel's military who said they engaged in the practice, which is prohibited by international law. Rights groups are ringing the alarm, saying it's become standard procedure increasingly used in the war. "These are not isolated accounts; they point to a systemic failure and a horrifying moral collapse," said Nadav Weiman, executive director of Breaking the Silence — a whistleblower group of former Israeli soldiers that has collected testimonies about the practice from within the military. "Israel rightly condemns Hamas for using civilians as human shields, but our own soldiers describe doing the very same." Abu Hamadan said he was detained in August after being separated from his family, and soldiers told him he'd help with a "special mission." He was forced, for 17 days, to search houses and inspect every hole in the ground for tunnels, he said. Soldiers stood behind him and, once it was clear, entered the buildings to damage or destroy them, he said. He spent each night bound in a dark room, only to wake up and do it again. The use of human shields 'caught on like fire' Rights groups say Israel has used Palestinians as shields in Gaza and the West Bank for decades. The Supreme Court outlawed the practice in 2005. But the groups continued to document violations. Still, experts say this war is the first time in decades the practice — and the debate around it — has been so widespread. The two Israeli soldiers who spoke to the AP — and a third who provided testimony to Breaking the Silence — said commanders were aware of the use of human shields and tolerated it, with some giving orders to do so. Some said it was referred to as the "mosquito protocol" and that Palestinians were also referred to as "wasps" and other dehumanizing terms. The soldiers — who said they're no longer serving in Gaza — said the practice sped up operations, saved ammunition, and spared combat dogs from injury or death. The soldiers said they first became aware human shields were being used shortly after the war erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, whenHamas attacked Israel, and that it became widespread by the middle of 2024. Orders to "bring a mosquito" often came via radio, they said — shorthand everyone understood. Soldiers acted on commanding officers' orders, according to the officer who spoke to the AP. He said that by the end of his nine months in Gaza, every infantry unit used a Palestinian to clear houses before entering. "Once this idea was initiated, it caught on like fire in a field," the 26-year-old said. "People saw how effective and easy it was." He described a 2024 planning meeting where a brigade commander presented to the division commander a slide reading "get a mosquito" and a suggestion they might "just catch one off the streets." The officer wrote two incident reports to the brigade commander detailing the use of human shields, reports that would have been escalated to the division chief, he said. The military said it had no comment when asked whether it received them. One report documented the accidental killing of a Palestinian, he said — troops didn't realize another unit was using him as a shield and shot him as he ran into a house. The officer recommended the Palestinians be dressed in army clothes to avoid misidentification. He said he knew of at least one other Palestinian who died while used as a shield — he passed out in a tunnel. Troops unsuccessfully pushed back, a sergeant says Convincing soldiers to operate lawfully when they see their enemy using questionable practices is difficult, said Michael Schmitt, a distinguished professor of international law at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Israeli officials and other observers say Hamas uses civilians as shields as it embeds itself in communities, hiding fighters in hospitals and schools. "It's really a heavy lift to look at your own soldiers and say you have to comply," Schmitt said. One soldier told the AP his unit tried to refuse to use human shields in mid-2024 but were told they had no choice, with a high-ranking officer saying they shouldn't worry about international humanitarian law. The sergeant — speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal — said the troops used a 16-year-old and a 30-year-old for a few days. The boy shook constantly, he said, and both repeated "Rafah, Rafah" — Gaza's southernmost city, where more than 1 million Palestinians had fled from fighting elsewhere at that point in the war. It seemed they were begging to be freed, the sergeant said. 'I have children,' one man says he pleaded Masoud Abu Saeed said he was used as a shield for two weeks in March 2024 in the southern city of Khan Younis. "This is extremely dangerous," he recounted telling a soldier. "I have children and want to reunite with them." The 36-year-old said he was forced into houses, buildings and a hospital to dig up suspected tunnels and clear areas. He said he wore a first-responder vest for easy identification, carrying a phone, hammer and chain cutters. During one operation, he bumped into his brother, used as a shield by another unit, he said. They hugged. "I thought Israel's army had executed him," he said. Palestinians also report being used as shields in the West Bank. Hazar Estity said soldiers took her Jenin refugee camp home in November, forcing her to film inside several apartments and clear them before troops entered. She said she pleaded to return to her 21-month-old son, but soldiers didn't listen. "I was most afraid that they would kill me," she said. "And that I wouldn't see my son again." ___ Magdy reported from Cairo.

byDan Dunne

in

May 23, 2025

Israeli soldiers and former detainees tell AP Israel's use of human shields in Gaza is widespread

Israeli soldiers and former detainees tell AP Israel's use of human shields in Gaza is widespread TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The only times...

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Trump threatens steep tariffs on European Union goods, targets iPhones; recap

Trump threatens steep tariffs on European Union goods, targets iPhones; recap

WASHINGTON ―President Donald Trumpreignitedtrade tensionsahead of the Memorial Day weekend with back-to-back social media posts targeting Apple and the European Union, sending global markets into another round of turmoil after weeks of de-escalation provided some reprieve. In a morning message on his platform Truth Social, Trumpwarned Apple CEO Tim Cookof a new 25% import tax if his company's trademark iPhones are not made in the United States. A half hour later, Trump wrote that he was recommending a 50% tariff on the European Union starting June 1. "I just said, it's time that we play the game the way I know how to play the game," Trump later told reporters in the Oval Office after signing a series of executive orders aimed atexpanding nuclear energy. He said the EU has "taken advantage of other people representing this country, and they're not going to do that any longer." Trump's latest tariff threats interrupted what had been a period of relative calmness in Trump's trade war after hesecured a trade deal earlier in the monthwith the United Kingdom and reached an agreement with China forboth the U.S. and Beijing to slash tariff for 90 days. The Republican president's warning to Cook came as Apple is planning to shift production of iPhones sold in the U.S. from China to India by the end of 2026. Trump said he "long ago informed" Cook he expect these iPhones to be built in the U.S. Meanwhile, Trump said his administration's talks with the EU"are going nowhere."He said the tariffs on EU imports will go in effect if European companies don't relocate manufacturing bases to the U.S. ‒ a demand that seemed improbable to fulfill given the short timeframe with a little more than a week until June 1. "I'm not looking for a deal. We've set the deal. It's at 50%," Trump said of the EU, which includes 27 countries that imported $606 billion in goods to the U.S. in 2024. More:Nike announces new price hikes: See what other retailers have done since Trump tariffs Trump had threatened big reciprocal tariffs on the EU and a host of countries in early April but paused all of them, except for tariffs on China, shortly afterward. Since then his administration has been negotiating over trade deals. Butthe deal with the United Kingdomhas been the only agreement executed in additionto the truce with Chinawhile negotiations with Beijing continue. "We have numerous other deals that are ready to be signed," Trump said, without naming the countries. Progress on trade had helped calm financial markets that dropped significantly after theApril 2 reciprocal tariff announcement. Stocksrecovered their loses, but they are now wobbling again on Trump's latest tariff threats. Apple's shares were down sharply on May 23 and weighing on the tech sector more broadly. What the Trump administration means for your wallet:Sign upfor USA TODAY's Daily Money newsletter. U.S. stocks pared early losses after officials tried to calm investors after Trump riled up the markets with new tariff threats. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he thought Germany could help the U.S. push the EU on negotiations of tariffs. He also said in a Bloomberg interview he expected "over the next couple of weeks we're going to have several large deals announced." Meanwhile, EU officials urged calm and said negotiations are ongoing. However, stocks are still on track to close the week lower. All three indexes are on pace to drop around 2% for the week. -Medora Lee Discussing the tariff threats to reporters, Trump pointed to the U.S. and European auto industries, arguing German manufacturers Mercedes, BMW and Volkswagen sell millions of cars in the United States but the U.S. is "restricted from, essentially, selling cars into the European Union, which is not nice." Trump predicted European companies will "send their companies into the U.S to build their plant" as a result of his tariffs "If they build their plant here, then they have no tariff at all," Trump said. He said he remains committed to the June 1 deadline for the 50% EU tariffs going into effect. "Now, if somebody comes in and wants to build a plant here, I can talk to them about a little bit of a delay while they're building their plant, which is something I think that would be appropriate, maybe," Trump said. "But right now, it's going on in June 1. And that's the way it is."- Joey Garrison After threatening Apple in a social media post with a 25% tariff unless iPhones are built in the U.S., Trump later said he wouldn't single out just Apple for the tariff. Pressed May 23 during an event in the Oval Office on whether he has the power to tariff just one company, Trump said "it would be more." "It would be also Samsung and anybody that makes that product," Trump said. "Otherwise it wouldn't be fair. So anybody that makes that product." Those tariffs could start at the end of June, Trump said.-Zac Anderson A pair of Illinois toy marketers that are fighting Trump's tariffs have a federal court hearing May 27. Learning Resources and Hand2Mind employ 500 people in Vernon Hills, Illinois; Torrance, California; and Amherst, New York. The companies import toys such as Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog, Peekaboo Learning Farm and Kanoodle from countries including China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and India. The toy companies say they survived COVID-19 but that the tariffs could kill them. They argued that Congress never authorized the president to impose huge tariffs on his own. "That crushing burden is felt most immediately and acutely by this country's small and mid-size businesses, including Plaintiffs," the lawsuit said. Justice Department lawyersargued the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Actconfirmed the president's power to "regulate importation" through tariffs. Government lawyers also argued the case should be transferred to the Court of International Trade.U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras in Washington, D.C., set a hearing May 27 at 3 p.m. on whether to block the tariffs temporarily while the case is litigated.- Bart Jansen Arkansas Republican Rep. French Hill, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, urged patience amidTrump's tariff threat against Apple. "There's nothing more complicated than the iPhone supply chain," Hill told CNBC. "I think the president's goal should be, put more components, besides software, design, engineering, the glass, some of the chips could be made here. If he wants them assembled here, I think that will take time to do. It's not an overnight thing." Hill added that his best advice to Trump is "stick with the macro." "My advice to Howard Lutnick and Scott Bessent andDonald Trumpis set out the expectations for voters - what could be short term successes that bring certainty, opens up markets for America, has reciprocity trade, but recognize it's going to take a long time to return certain production activities to the U.S.," he said.- Sudiksha Kochi Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Bloomberg TV that the administration's pause on tariffs was "contingent on countries or trading blocs coming and negotiating in good faith." "I think the president was getting frustrated with the EU," he said. "The problem with the EU, as I've said several times, they have a collective action problem. There are 27 countries, they all have different needs," Bessent said. The German finance minister has been "very responsive," he added, "so I'm very optimistic that perhaps Germany can help push the EU forward." -Riley Beggin Despite President Trump's tariff threat, leading European exporters expressed hope a trade deal can still be finalized between the U.S. and EU. The U.S. is the largest export market for French cosmetics. "We remain calm and trust European negotiators to quickly conclude" a trade agreement, the French Cosmetic Industry Association said in a statement. Wolfgang Grosse Entrup, managing director of Germany's Chemical Industry Association said the industry hopes the two sides can still "agree on a reduction of barriers in transatlantic trade." But he added that "The situation remains fragile and uncertainty is high. In addition to successful negotiations with the U.S…. deepening relations with other regions must therefore be given high priority."-Zac Anderson, Reuters Volvo Cars CEO Hakan Samuelsson said in an interview with Reuters that a 50% tariff on European goods would limit his company's ability to sell its Belgium-made EX30 electric vehicle in the United States. "I believe there will be a deal soon," Samuelsson said. "It could not be in the interest of Europe or the U.S. to shut down trade between them."-Reuters European officials expressed frustration with President Trump's threat to impose 50% tariffs on their goods. Laurent Saint-Martin, France's minister for foreign trade and French nationals abroad, posted on social media that Trump's comments aren't helpful for trade negotiations. "We maintain the same line: de-escalation, but are ready to respond," Saint-Martin added. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on May 23 said Trump's tariff threat helped nobody, and that Berlin would continue to support the EU to negotiate with Washington. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on May 23 said Trump's tariff threat helped nobody, and that Berlin would continue to support the EU to negotiate with Washington. Italy still hopes the European Union can still strike a trade deal with the United States, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA on May 23. "Our aim remains zero-zero tariffs", Tajani said during a visit to Mexico.-Zac Anderson, Reuters President Trump's proposed 50% tariffs on European Union goods would hit roughly $606 billion in imported products. That's the value of goods exported to the United States from the European Union in 2024, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. The U.S. is the EU's largest trading partner, purchasing 21% of its exports, according to EU data. The top EU export to the U.S. is pharmaceuticals. Other leading EU exports to America include cars and other vehicles, aircraft, engines and motors, other machinery, petroleum oils and alcoholic beverages, according to the EU.- Zac Anderson U.S. stocks stumbled out of the gate after President Donald Trump ratcheted up tariff fears again, going after iPhone maker Apple and the European Union. Hissocial media postreferencing Apple is the first time Trump has mentioned a specific company in levying his taxes. Apple shares dropped around 2%. Meanwhile, the blue-chip Dow lost more than 350 points and the broad S&P 500 index was down about 65 points. The tech-heavy Nasdaq shed 265 points. All three indexes are on pace to post a weekly loss and each index is currently about 2% lower on the week. -Medora Lee In an unusual tariff threat aimed at a single company, Trump singled out Apple in a social media post and demanded they build their devices in the U.S.. "If that is not the case, a Tariff of at least 25% must be paid by Apple to the U.S.," Trump wrote. Trump mentioned Apple CEO Tim Cook, saying he "long ago" told the corporate executive "I expect their iPhone's that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else." Apple announced in February that the company plans to spend $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years in Michigan, Texas, California, Arizona, Nevada, Iowa, Oregon, North Carolina, and Washington. "Plans include a new factory in Texas, doubling the U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Fund, a manufacturing academy, and accelerated investments in AI and silicon engineering," the company said in a statement. Apple has been heavily dependent on Chinese partner Foxconn to manufacture its products, but is looking to shift most of its iPhone production to India by 2026, according to Reuters.- Zac Anderson This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trump threatens 50% tariff on EU goods, targets iPhones; recap

byDan Dunne

in

May 23, 2025

Trump threatens steep tariffs on European Union goods, targets iPhones; recap

Trump threatens steep tariffs on European Union goods, targets iPhones; recap WASHINGTON ―President Donald Trumpreignitedtrade tensionsahead...

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Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump administration to shield DOGE documents

Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump administration to shield DOGE documents

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Friday temporarily allowed the Trump administration to shield Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency from freedom of information requests seeking thousands of pages of material. Chief Justice John Roberts issued an administrative stay that puts lower court decisions on hold while the Supreme Court considers what next steps to take. For now, it means the government will not have to respond to requests for documents and allow for the deposition of the DOGE administrator, Amy Gleason, as a lower court had ruled. At issue in the ongoing litigation is whether DOGE, which has played a key role in firing government workers and cutting federal grants and spending, is technically a government agency and therefore subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which allows members of the public to seek internal documents. The Trump administration says that, despite its name, DOGE is merely a presidential advisory body that is not subject to public records requests under FOIA. Further complicating matters, when DOGE was set up, it effectively took the place of a previous government entity called the U.S. Digital Service. The Trump administration now refers to the body as the U.S. DOGE Service, or USDS. The case arose when watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) brought a freedom of information request in January soon after Trump took office seeking information about DOGE. CREW later filed suit. In March, U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington ruled DOGE is "likely" covered by FOIA and that "the public would be irreparably harmed by an indefinite delay in unearthing the records CREW seeks." Cooper ordered DOGE to process CREW's several FOIA requests for information on an "expedited timetable" and to begin producing documents on a rolling basis "as soon as practicable." The court also ordered the government to preserve "all records" that may be responsive to CREW's FOIA requests. In addition to the more than 100,000 documents the Office of Management and Budget has that are responsive to the FOIA request ordered by Cooper, DOGE itself said it has approximately 58,000 documents responsive to the request. The documents in question all relate back to the question of whether DOGE is a government agency. CREW's lawyers said in court papers said that Cooper had merely issued a "narrowly-tailored discovery order" to ascertain whether DOGE is a federal agency. The Supreme Court, they added, "rarely intervenes in ongoing discovery disputes" and there was "no basis for such extraordinary intervention here."

byDan Dunne

in

May 23, 2025

Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump administration to shield DOGE documents

Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump administration to shield DOGE documents WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Friday temporarily allowed ...

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