January 1, Tear Gas Clears Way for Pres Trump’s Church Photo-Op

This Day in History | 1935

Babe Ruth ends his Major League career after 22 seasons, 10 World Series and 714 home runs. Ruth was one of the first five players inducted into the sport’s hall of fame, a year later. 

Good morning Middle Americans, 

Many of our great cities continue to burn and there seems to be no end in sight. Despite strict curfews in more than 150 American cities, we still saw wide scale violence, looting and utter chaos. Like moths to the flames singing American business, the worst among us seem to flock to these disaster areas. 

We are getting a clearer picture of what actually killed George Floyd. Two autopsy reports, one conducted by a private doctor for Floyd’s family and the coroner’s autopsy both show Floyd died of asphyxiation. 

Finally, were not sure what it’s going to take to wake everyone up. But things are getting worse for some of Americas most blighted communities, not better as a result of this uprising and revolt against authority. We have another sad story about Chicago’s most violent weekend of the year. And it’s not even close. 

Read all about it. 

-Fraser Dixon

Park Police Tear Gas Peaceful Protesters To Clear Way For Trump Church Photo-Op

(NPR) – The plaza between St. John’s Church and Lafayette Park was full of people nonviolently protesting police brutality late Monday afternoon when U.S. Park Police and National Guard troops, with the use of tear gas, suddenly started pushing them away for no apparent reason.

And then it became clear. President Trump wanted to walk from the White House through the park to the Episcopal church. Camera crews scrambled to keep up with him as he strode through the park, followed by his daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, along with Attorney General William Barr and other administration officials.

Trump stopped briefly outside the church and held up a Bible.

“We have the greatest country in the world,” he said. “Keep it nice and safe.”

The impromptu visit came just after Trump delivered remarks at the White House, declaring himself “your president of law and order” and demanding that governors deploy National Guard units and “dominate the streets.”

Read more here

Second Autopsy Says George Floyd was Asphyxiated

(Star Tribune) – Two autopsy results — one requested by George Floyd’s family and the other from Hennepin County — agree that his death is a homicide but disagree over exactly what killed him.

During a news conference Monday afternoon, two doctors hired by the Floyd family to do a private autopsy said they believe he died of asphyxia, which happens when oxygen flow is cut off, causing the brain and other organs to stop working.

“We believe truth will help lead to justice and so, despite how painful these autopsy findings are, especially for George Floyd’s family, we think it is essential that the truth comes out about the manner and the exact manner and science as to how George Floyd was killed,” Benjamin Crump, an attorney for the Floyd family, told reporters.

Hours later, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office issued its final public report, stating that Floyd died as a result of “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression.” A spokesperson for the office, citing Minnesota laws, said they could not discuss that cause of death further.

The report noted that Floyd “experienced a cardiopulmonary arrest while being restrained by law enforcement officer(s).”

Learn more here

82 shot, 22 fatally, Over Chicago’s Most Violent weekend of 2020

(Chicago Sun-Times) – More than half of the weekend’s victims were shot on Sunday as the city reeled from violent protests Saturday night that led to hundreds of arrests and the implementation of a curfew.

Twenty-two people were killed and at least 60 others were wounded by gun violence in Chicago’s most violent weekend of the year so far, which also saw widespread protests, riots and looting throughout the city in the wake of the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.

More than half of the weekend’s victims were shot on Sunday as the city reeled from violent protests Saturday night that led to hundreds of arrests and the implementation of a curfew.

Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said Monday that of the total fatal shootings over the weekend, 17 homicides occurred on Sunday alone. The Cook County medical examiner’s office confirmed 15 for Sunday, with another three at unknown locations.

The weekend’s toll surpasses the tally from the same weekend in 2019, when 52 people were wounded — 8 fatally — in citywide gun violence.

Read more here

Related: Watch – ‘Black Lives Matter Is a Joke’: Black D.C. Resident Tells Far-Left Group ‘Go to Chicago’