Hollywood actor John Cusack revealed on Twitter that police “came at me with batons” while attending protests in Chicago on Saturday and hit his bike as he attempted to film a burning car.
The 53-year-old actor took to the platform to share photos and videos of the protest, which occurred in the wake of George Floyd’s tragic death, who passed away last Monday after a police officer held him down by the neck with his knee for more than seven minutes. Protests have since erupted in many cities across the United States.
These were some of the peace officers – who gently tuned up my bike with their batons- pic.twitter.com/atMf8VaV6l
— John Cusack (@johncusack) May 31, 2020
“Cops didn’t like me filming the burning car so they came at me with batons. Hitting my bike. Ahhm here’s the audio.” Cusack captioned another video of officers approaching him.
The footage was blurry as it was filmed at nighttime however, shouts (presumed to be of law enforcement) are heard in rapid succession: “Get out of here! Move! Get out of here! Get the f— out of here now! Get out of here, let’s go!”
Cusack can be heard saying, “Alright, alright, alright, I’m going.”
Cops didn’t like me filming the burning car so they came at me with batons. Hitting my bike.
Ahhm here’s the audio pic.twitter.com/tfaOoVCw5v”— John Cusack (@johncusack) May 31, 2020
Cusack verified In another tweet reports that police were using pepper spray on protestors, writing, “Pepper spray – is out – no tear gas that I’ve seen personally out here.”
Pepper spray – is out – no tear gas that I’ve seen personally out here @studentactivism: Reporter teargassed while holding his press pass up, Chicago. https://t.co/xuWwEq258O”
— John Cusack (@johncusack) May 31, 2020
Later on, The “Con air” actor clarified to one of his followers that he was not assaulted.
“They didn’t assault me- keep it in perspective and I should not be the headline or the story important thing is the anger & pain out there& how hair trigger it feels/ I’m of no importance. I was just a witness to what was happening in Chicago – didn’t see the press out at all,”
In another tweet, he added,” Would be very surprised if this is a one or two day event / this may well be the beginning of end of trump loathsome era – thank god -feels like many streams of outrage coming to a head- a wave peaking -Chicago scene was about getting to trump tower most of day.”
They didn’t assault me- keep it in perspective and I should not be the headline or the story important thing is the anger & pain out there& how hair trigger it feels/
I’m of no importance
I was just a witness to what was happening in Chicsgo – didn’t see the press out at all— John Cusack (@johncusack) May 31, 2020
Another actor Kendrick Sampson was hit by a baton and rubber bullets fired by police officers at a protest in Los Angeles on Saturday.
Floyd injustice trigger protests
Fierce protests have been raging in Minneapolis since an unarmed black man, George Floyd died after a white officer knelt on his neck on May 25.
Protesters in an outpouring of rage after the crime was recorded is a video, which was taken by an onlooker on Monday night, who witnessed the fatal encounter between police and Floyd.
The footage was widely circulated on social media and showed him lying face down and handcuffed, gasping for air and groaning for help while repeatedly saying, “I can’t breathe.”
The city identified the four officers as Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J Alexander Kueng. It did not say who had his knee against Floyd’s throat and gave no further information.
The policeman and three fellow officers who participated in Floyd’s arrest were dismissed from the police department on May 28 as the FBI opened an investigation into the incident.
Floyd, 46, allegedly tried to pass counterfeit bills at a corner eatery, was taken by ambulance from the scene of his arrest, and declared dead the same night at a hospital.
On Sunday, Hacker group Anonymous has made a comeback after staying inactive for three years amid the raging protests against the US police brutality over the death of Floyd.
They took down the website of the Minneapolis Police in a protest to the murder of Floyd, which is presumed the reason for resurfacing.
Anonymous also released a video protesting Floyd’s, which featured a compilation video of police brutality to the black people in the country.
The second day of demonstrations was accompanied by looting. It began hours after Mayor Jacob Frey urged prosecutors to file criminal charges against the white policeman shown pinning Floyd to the street.
Hundreds of protesters, many with faces covered, flooded streets around the Third Precinct police station late on Wednesday, about half a mile from where Floyd had been arrested, chanting, “No justice, no peace”, and “I can’t breathe.”
The crowd grew to thousands as night fell and the protest turned into a standoff outside the station, where police in riot gear formed barricade lines while protesters taunted them from behind makeshift barricades of their own.
Police, some taking positions on rooftops, used tear gas, plastic bullets and concussion grenades to keep the crowds at bay, while protesters pelted police with rocks, water bottles, and other projectiles. Some threw tear gas canisters back at the officers.
Television news images from a helicopter over the area showed dozens of people looting a Target store, running out with clothing and shopping carts full of merchandise.
The video of Monday’s deadly confrontation between police and Floyd has stirred a national outcry and led Mayor Frey to call on Wednesday for Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman “to charge the arresting officer in this case.”
