If Derek Chauvin Can Be Found Guilty, These Cops Should Be Prosecuted as Well

On Tuesday former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin found guilty of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Chauvin was seen on video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd — who was handcuffed and not resisting — for over 8 minutes, until he died. Had video of the incident not existed, the chances of Chauvin even being charged would have been non-existent. Even with the video, Chauvin’s case is extremely rare as cops who kill are almost never held accountable.

Finding a police officer facing a murder charge for an on-duty shooting is like finding a unicorn in your front yard. As TFTP has reported, despite horrifying police killings, many of which were captured on video and rocked the nation, the arrest rate for cops who kill people on-duty remains as low as ever. According to reports, since 2005, just 126 police officers have been arrested for murder or manslaughter in relation to an on-duty killing.

Of those 126, just 44 have been convicted, with 31 of their cases still pending, and just eight cops total, including Chauvin, have been convicted of murder. The other 37 cops were convicted on charges ranging from manslaughter to official misconduct, with many of them receiving no jail time.

Chauvin’s case proves, however, that it is indeed possible to charge cops who unnecessarily kill people. If he can be convicted of murder, others should be as well. The Free Thought Project has composed a list of killer cops whose crimes were just as, or more horrific as Chauvin’s but who were never charged.

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The Postal Service is running a ‘covert operations program’ that monitors Americans’ social media posts

The law enforcement arm of the U.S. Postal Service has been quietly running a program that tracks and collects Americans’ social media posts, including those about planned protests, according to a document obtained by Yahoo News.

The details of the surveillance effort, known as iCOP, or Internet Covert Operations Program, have not previously been made public. The work involves having analysts trawl through social media sites to look for what the document describes as “inflammatory” postings and then sharing that information across government agencies.

“Analysts with the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Internet Covert Operations Program (iCOP) monitored significant activity regarding planned protests occurring internationally and domestically on March 20, 2021,” says the March 16 government bulletin, marked as “law enforcement sensitive” and distributed through the Department of Homeland Security’s fusion centers. “Locations and times have been identified for these protests, which are being distributed online across multiple social media platforms, to include right-wing leaning Parler and Telegram accounts.”

A number of groups were expected to gather in cities around the globe on March 20 as part of a World Wide Rally for Freedom and Democracy, to protest everything from lockdown measures to 5G. “Parler users have commented about their intent to use the rallies to engage in violence. Image 3 on the right is a screenshot from Parler indicating two users discussing the event as an opportunity to engage in a ‘fight’ and to ‘do serious damage,’” says the bulletin.

“No intelligence is available to suggest the legitimacy of these threats,” it adds.

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Cops Seize Bikes and Arrest 1 Teen Over Traffic Violations and Bike Licenses

“I told you guys you’re supposed to have licenses,” one officer says in the clip as the cops attempt to get the boys to surrender their bikes. “The sergeant warned you about your bikes, so you guys are warned. I gave you a warning.”

One teen gives in. “Drop the bike or you’re gonna get arrested too,” says another cop in the background, addressing the other boys who are slower to dismount.

In a longer video posted to YouTube, the boys are repeatedly promised that they won’t lose their bikes. The teen who first complied is then arrested, and all of their bicycles are taken by the cops.

“You know that we told you guys to stay on the sidewalk,” the cop says in a video exchange with one of the teens who filmed their conversation when he returned to get his bike. “You guys knew that you were going against traffic. It is for your safety. You think I want to be here taking bikes away? Like, this is so asinine. Like, we have so much better stuff to do with our time.”

She is correct on most counts. It is asinine, and the Perth Amboy Police Department definitely has better stuff to do with their time.

But she didn’t stop there: “Is your bike registered with us? I don’t have to give it back to you,” she notes, harking back to the licensing scuffle referenced during the first confrontation. “You have the receipt to prove that that bike is your bike? I don’t have to give it back to you.”

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Canada’s Heritage Minister says internet censorship bill is imminent

Canada’s Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault, a Liberal Party member, said a new internet censorship bill will be tabled within two weeks. To Liberals, the bill will protect Canadians from online abuse – but to those concerned about freedom and civil liberties, it is a law that will have a chilling effect on free speech.

We previously reported details about its inception here.

“My job is to ensure the safety and security of the Canadian population. That’s what I am here for,” said Guilbeault.

He reiterated his previous remarks that the bill would help limit hurtful content online, beyond the current hate speech laws outlined in the Criminal Code. However, he did not provide examples of the hurtful content to be outlawed in the new bill, Blacklock’s Reporter stated.

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“Smart” homes are just modern-day surveillance systems that spy on you and share all your audio and video with police and the FBI

Many in today’s society have been brainwashed into believing that “smart” devices exist to make our lives easier and more convenient. The ugly truth, however, is that Nest thermostats, Alexa speakers, Apple watches and other always-listening, always-watching electronics were actually designed for the purpose of enslaving you under constant surveillance.

People who live in “smart” homes can now be monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week without the need for a warrant or probable cause, thanks to this clever little “smart” scheme. And in the United States where privacy laws are pitifully weak, there is almost nothing anyone can do about it other than to try to avoid “smart” devices whenever possible.

The problem is that even if you do not personally own anything “smart,” chances are someone you know does. When you visit a friend or a family member, for instance, “smart” devices throughout their homes will watch and listen to you without your consent.

In many cases, consumer spy devices like the “Amazon Echo” relay the data they capture back to the mother ship, typically for the purpose of selling it to third parties. In some cases, however, “smart” devices relay people’s private information to police departments and even the FBI, which could end up using it to falsely incriminate certain targets.

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Alaska village requires full vaccine for in-person shopping

A village in Alaska has mandated that only fully vaccinated people will be allowed into the community’s stores and businesses.

Kongiganak had 50% of its eligible residents vaccinated with at least one dose as of April 9, KYUK-AM reported Wednesday, citing the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation.

Kongiganak reported that it had a population of 439 people in the 2010 U.S. Census.

Sheila Phillip, the Kongiganak Traditional Council secretary, said that people who are fully vaccinated can go inside the village’s two stores if they wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines.

People not fully vaccinated “can still make phone orders and their orders are delivered to their home,” Phillip said.

The general manager for Qemirtalek Coast Corporation, Harvey Paul, said his village store allows four people inside.

Paul said his employees verify that a customer is vaccinated by checking that their name is on a list provided by the tribe, KYUK-AM reported.

“Every couple of days, they’ll give us a new list,” Paul said. “The list keeps getting bigger and bigger. That’s a good sign, you know?”

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