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Protests after Black man killed by police in Atlanta
Demonstrators have taken to the streets in Atlanta in protest against the fatal shooting by police of a Black man who had fallen asleep in his car while waiting in line at a fast food drive-through south of downtown.
The Friday night incident comes at a time of heightened tension over police brutality and calls for reforms across the United States following the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis after a police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Police had been called on 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks for sleeping in a car blocking the drive-through lane of a Wendy’s restaurant on Friday night. After Brooks failed a field sobriety test, the officers attempted to place him into custody, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI), an independent agency that has been asked by the Atlanta Police Department to investigate the killing.
According to the GBI, Brooks resisted arrest and a struggle ensued, leading an officer to deploy a Taser.
When the Taser did not work, Brooks reportedly tried to take it from the officer. A second officer then tried to use a Taser on Brooks, but it had no effect, Atlanta Deputy Police Chief Timothy Peek told reporters after the incident. During the tussle, Brooks was shot and later died at a local hospital.
The GBI said in a statement it was investigating reports “that the male subject was shot by an officer in the struggle over the Taser”.
A crowd of demonstrators gathered at the scene of the shooting on Saturday.
The president of the Georgia NAACP, the Reverend James Woodall, has called for the firing of Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper.
The GBI said it was reviewing video footage of the incident taken by witnesses. That video, which was posted on social media, shows Brooks on the ground outside his car, struggling with two police officers. The shooting later occurs out of frame.
Atlanta was among many large US cities where large crowds of protesters have taken to the streets in recent days.
Gerald Griggs, a lawyer and vice president of Atlanta’s NAACP chapter, estimated there were 150 people protesting at the scene as he walked with them on Saturday afternoon.
“The people are upset,” Griggs said. “They want to know why their dear brother Rayshard Brooks was shot and killed when he was merely asleep on the passenger side and not doing anything.”
Even though Brooks struggled with officers, Griggs said, “they could have used nonlethal force to take him down”.
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said his office has also “launched an intense, independent investigation of the incident”.
Stacey Abrams, the Georgia Democrat who gained national prominence running for governor in 2018, tweeted on Saturday of the shooting that “sleeping in a drive-thru must not end in death”.
“The killing of #RayshardBrooks in Atlanta last night demands we severely restrict the use of deadly force,” Abrams’s tweet said. “Yes, investigations must be called for – but so too should accountability.”
The officers involved in the shooting were not immediately identified.
SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES
News
Govt urged to provide safe, supportive environment for menstruating girls
The government has been urged to take urgent steps toward providing a safe and supportive environment for menstruating girls to ensure proper personal hygiene and promote school attendance.
Sarah Nkansah Boateng, a midwife at the Eastern Regional Hospital made the call during a forum organised as part of activities to observe Menstrual Hygiene Day celebration in the New Juaben North Municipality of the Eastern Region.
The event was held under the theme “Together for a Period-Friendly World.”
She noted that many girls skip school during their menstrual periods due to a lack of access to sanitary products and appropriate spaces to change them.
“The basic necessities for these girls are not being provided; creating a safe and enabling environment is crucial,” Madam Boateng emphasized.
She called on school authorities and policymakers to prioritise the construction of hygienic and private changing spaces in schools.
She further appealed for a collective effort to address menstrual health challenges affecting girls in the community.
The New Juaben North Municipal Director of Health Services, Nana Yaa Konadu, also highlighted her office’s initiatives in both school-based and community clinics to educate young girls on menstrual hygiene.
She stressed the health implications of poor menstrual hygiene, saying, “When girls lack access to sanitary pads and a clean environment, it can negatively impact their reproductive health.”
Madam Konadu warned that the absence of menstrual hygiene facilities and products left some girls vulnerable to exploitation, increasing the risk of teenage pregnancy.
The Municipal Chief Executive for New Juaben North, Mr Samuel Adongo, described menstruation as a natural biological process and not a taboo or burden.
He expressed concern over the poor state of sanitation facilities in schools.
“I have visited almost all public schools in the municipality, and none has a proper, standard toilet facility suitable for girls,” he stated.
Mr Adongo assured that the assembly would work to create an enabling environment to reduce school absenteeism related to menstruation.
“Too many girls are missing school because of their menstrual cycle, and this is unacceptable,” he added.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
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Akwesi Agyeman, Ekpe vow to lead GJA to ‘era of purpose and professionalism’
As the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) prepares for its national elections, two of the key contenders, General Secretary Aspirant Akwasi Agyeman and Vice Presidential hopeful Rebecca Ekpe have called for a return to ethical journalism, stronger mentorship and institutional reforms.
They both made the remarks during separate visits to The Spectator and The Ghanaian Times, respectively to solicit for votes.
Akwasi Agyeman, an Editor with Multimedia is seeking to lead the association into what he calls a “new era of purpose and professionalism.”
He stressed the urgent need to reposition the GJA as a strong and relevant voice in national affairs.
“We cannot continue with business as usual. The GJA must be visible, active, and fearless in advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists,” he said during a meeting with media practitioners in Accra.
Mr. Agyeman noted that his leadership will focus on building partnerships, improving member services, and restoring the dignity of the Association. “We need to rekindle the spirit of solidarity within the GJA and provide real value to members, especially the younger generation,” he added.
Ms Rebecca Ekpe, a respected Broadcast Journalist and Editor, echoed similar sentiments in her call for mentorship and capacity building.
“I discovered through my journey that journalism is not just my job, it is who I am. My path in journalism was shaped by my seniors in the newsroom, and now I feel called to give back,” she said.
Ms Ekpe envisions a GJA where senior journalists regularly engage with young professionals through face-to-face mentoring and training platforms. “Even if you attend a session and pick just one idea, it could change the course of your career,” she remarked.
She also raised concerns about the rise of misinformation and the blurred lines between journalism and social media content creation. “People sit online insulting others and call themselves journalists. When they are attacked, GJA defends them, but we must ask: are they truly journalists? We must protect the integrity of our profession,” she stressed.
The Editor of The Spectator, Mrs Georgina N.M Quaittoo wished them well in their campaigns and quest to serve the GJA.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
