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Social Media Was Major Witness in Chauvin Trial
Young people say that the conviction Tuesday of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd, an African American, is a step toward justice and social media is a tool in curbing police brutality.
"It is definitely a step towards justice," said George Mason University junior Shelby Adams. "However, young people, especially young people of color, know that this is not a complete victory and win until no one else dies or falls at the hands of police brutality. It just shows how there is so much more work left," she said.
Adams pointed to social media as having a huge impact in Chauvin's conviction.
"Without (videos), incidents like this would just happen with no one knowing," she said. "Videotaping puts a spotlight on the racism and bigotry we have in our criminal justice system that some people may not have realized before."
On May 25, 2020, Darnella Frazier, then 17, recorded the scene of Chauvin pressing his knee into the neck of a handcuffed Floyd on her smartphone camera and uploaded the video to Facebook. That video spread throughout social media and launched a series of protests over police brutality and racism.
Other bystanders also provided video showing different angles of the scene, and Chauvin's body camera also captured some footage.
The videos show a heated and confused scene in which bystanders yelled at police to stop their actions as Floyd's life ebbed away.
Frazier "had the strength and the wherewithal to share this horrendous act to the eyes of America," said College of William & Mary freshman Lasata Tuladhar. "After witnessing this, I realized that there must be so many situations involving the police like Floyd's murder that haven't been shared and brought to justice."
At a news conference, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison also mentioned the actions of passersby on the day of Floyd’s death: "The people who stopped and raised their voices on May 25, 2020, were a bouquet of humanity: young and old, men and women, black and white. A man from the neighborhood walking to get a drink. A child going to buy a snack. An off-duty firefighter on her way to a community garden. Brave young women who pressed 'record' on their phones. Why did they stop?"
William & Mary sophomore Liam Fish, who is studying social justice, explained that social media allowed people to take action against police brutality and racism.
"I think that pressure on them to do something and that type of mobilization wouldn't have been made possible without social media," Fish said.
The downside, Fish said, is the emotional response to seeing images of brutality over and over. His girlfriend has said that as a Black person, she finds it overwhelming when people post graphic content such as the Floyd video, Fish added.
"I don't think people should really be sharing the video, at least not without putting a warning. Those graphics, especially to a person of color, can be really triggering," he said.
"The Chauvin trial has shown young people that they can be involved in a movement and create meaningful change," said Hollins University sophomore Claire Ross, who is on the prelaw track.
Camden Crystal, a first-year student at Cardozo School of Law in New York City, reinforces the idea that if not for social media, the case might not have received as much attention.
"This one case does not represent a solution for the issues in the police system," Crystal said. "It is entirely possible that if not for the national attention this case received, Chauvin's case would not have gone the same way, due to the power and influence of the police in criminal justice."
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Trump administration opens antisemitism inquiries at 5 colleges, including Columbia and Berkeley
The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five U.S. universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.
It's part of President Donald Trump's promise to take a tougher stance against campus antisemitism and deal out harsher penalties than the Biden administration, which settled a flurry of cases with universities in its final weeks. It comes the same day the Justice Department announced a new task force to root out antisemitism on college campuses.
In an order signed last week, Trump called for aggressive action to fight anti-Jewish bias on campuses, including the deportation of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.
Along with Columbia and Berkeley, the department is now investigating the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Portland State University. The cases were opened using the department's power to launch its own civil rights reviews, unlike the majority of investigations, which stem from complaints.
Messages seeking comment were left with all five universities.
A statement from the Education Department criticized colleges for tolerating antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that followed. It also criticized the Biden administration for negotiating "toothless" resolutions that failed to hold schools accountable.
"Today, the Department is putting universities, colleges, and K-12 schools on notice: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses," said Craig Trainor, the agency's acting assistant secretary for civil rights.
The department didn't provide details about the inquiries or how it decided which schools are being targeted. Presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those called to testify on Capitol Hill last year as Republicans sought accountability for allegations of antisemitism. The hearings contributed to the resignation of multiple university presidents, including Columbia's Minouche Shafik.
An October report from House Republicans accused Columbia of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a campus building, and it called Northwestern's negotiations with student protesters a "stunning capitulation."
House Republicans applauded the new investigations. Representative Tim Walberg, chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, said he was "glad that we finally have an administration who is taking action to protect Jewish students."
Trump's order also calls for a full review of antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department since Oct. 7, 2023, including pending and resolved cases from the Biden administration. It encourages the Justice Department to take action to enforce civil rights laws.
Last week's order drew backlash from civil rights groups who said it violated First Amendment rights that protect political speech.
The new task force announced Monday includes the Justice and Education departments along with Health and Human Services.
"The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found," said Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights. "The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump's renewed commitment to ending anti-Semitism in our schools."
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STEM, business top subjects for international students
The Times of India breaks down the most popular subjects for international students to study in the U.S.
STEM and business lead the pack. Read the full story here. (January 2025)
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Safety and visa difficulties among misconceptions about US colleges
U.S. News & World report addresses some of the misconceptions about U.S. colleges and universities, including the difficulty of getting a visa.
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British student talks about her culture shock in Ohio
A British student who did a year abroad at Bowling Green State University in Ohio talks about adjusting to life in America in a TikTok video, Newsweek magazine reports.
Among the biggest surprises? Portion sizes, jaywalking laws and dorm room beds.
Read the full story here. (December 2024)
