Police brutality and public ignorance

Riot is the voice of unheard. The chaos in Minneapolis was result of brutal murder of George Floyd on May 26 2019 in broad day light by the police officer of Minneapolis. George Floyd 46 died choking under the knee of an officer Derek Chauvin. Police claim that George was suspect for burglary and he resisted his arrest that is why he was arrested by force and ultimately passed away during the attempt of arrest. However, footage recorded by other citizens and security cameras didn’t prove the claim made by police which caused riots all around America by the Black community.
On May 29, officer Derek was arrested and charged with third degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Even after the arrest of accused Derek Chauvin, riots did not stop because the Black American community wanted to charge Chauvin with first degree murder.
As international criminal law prescribes, George Floyd accidentally died and stopped being responsive by an officer on duty. However, Derek Chauvin did not intend to kill the accused which is why the said murder lacks ‘Mens rea’. Due to lacking of ‘Mens rea’ in the murder, law does not allow to charge Chauvin with first degree murder. If we think of this whole scenario as a common citizen, it’s not just American Black community but its whole world who want Derek Chauvin to be behind bars for the rest of his life but law does not allow this to happen because it’s well said that “accused is the favorite child of law”. However, law neither allowed the officer to choke the victim to death.
Additionally, the murder of George showed the existence of anti-Black mindset in America at global level. Racism is not a new thing to be discussed in American society. It has brief disputed history which was never settled. When we leave a wound unhealed, it turns out to be cancer. So now America is witnessing the cancer which needs an immediate cure of equality, social security and freedom from anti-Black mindsets.
Law enforcement agencies throughout the world, prominently in Pakistan are considered to be corrupt and ill institutions. People tend to settle their disputes in their communities instead of going to police and following the legal procedure. It is due to lack of trust between public and government. In the end law enforcement agencies are always accused to be corrupt. Ever wondered from where does corruption begins? Humans are rational beings.
We are made to calculate the situation and react where it cost us less time, defamation and money. Particularly in Pakistan, people would go for short cuts instead of adopting a legal procedure. It is very unfortunate that 70% of people residing in Pakistan are unaware of their basic legal rights. We have adopted a mindset that money can buy us everything. That’s why general public pays bribes and gets away clean without being charged of anything. Now a question arises that why the police officer accepts any offer of bribe? If we keep a rational mind it’s really simple to understand!
Provincial Police is less paid law enforcement agency among other LEAs in Pakistan. A newly recruited constable is paid around 20 thousand per month from which he hardly pays his utility bills and to afford his family. In such tough circumstances if he is offered bribe irrespective of the amount, it’s quite obvious that he’ll accept it not for himself but for his family. Corruption cannot be justified by any means but if we try to reach the origins of that corruption, it starts from our ignorant public.
Justice is not sold but it is bought by elite class of Pakistan. In fact, it’s not only elites but everyone, from our lower middle class to our elites, whoever could afford to pay something as bribe, try to breach the law knowingly and willfully. People in Pakistan would rather pay bribe to traffic constables instead of carrying their license and vehicles documents with them. It’s not possible to bring reforms in our system unless we hit the core of that corruption and spread awareness in our localities about basic legal rights.