Protests Against Police Brutality

WBUR's coverage of the anti-police brutality protests in America in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.

A pro-Trump protester is tended to by a police officer while suffering the effects of chemical agents used to disperse crowds after protesters stormed the grounds the Capitol Building on January 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C. (Jon Cherry/Getty Images)

Of Course The Mob That Stormed The Capitol Wasn't Afraid

These far-right activists have been courted by law enforcement to help control Black Lives Matter and other racial justice protesters, writes Karen J. Pita Loor.

After A Year Of Calls For Changes To Policing, A Reform Bill Awaits Baker's Signature

After a year convulsed by Black Lives Matter protests and calls for heightened police accountability, a major police reform bill sits on Gov. Charlie Baker's desk. He is expected to...

More States Propose Legislation To Criminalize Protests

Civil rights lawyer Nora Benavidez discusses a growing number of states where lawmakers are passing or proposing laws to criminalize protest activity.

Walter Wallace Jr.'s Death Raises Questions About Police Response To Mental Health Crises

Protests continued in Philadelphia Tuesday night following the police killing of Walter Wallace Jr. on Monday.

American History Records Our Struggle Toward Freedom. Trump Shouldn’t Erase The Failures

Acknowledging the faults, the bigotry and the blind spots in our past is not unpatriotic, write Fernande Raine and Adam Strom. These stories help us understand who we are as...

Power, Propaganda And What Justice Might Look Like For Breonna Taylor

New details are forcing more questions about power, propaganda and what justice might look like for Breonna Taylor.

Black Leaders In Massachusetts Call On State Legislature To Pass Police Reform Bill

The Massachusetts House and Senate have approved separate versions of the bill, but have yet to hammer out a final compromise.

Deval Patrick: 'Policing In America Has To Change For Peace In America To Exist'

I pray that as we protest we show the strength of controlled resolve, and channel our rage into the ballot box, writes former Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick. And that America...

WATCH LIVE: Breonna Taylor's Family Gives Statement After Officers Not Charged For Her Death

The family of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman who was killed by police in a botched no-knock raid of her home, will speak from Louisville at 10:30 a.m.

Gov. Baker Activates National Guard After Day Of Nationwide Protests Over Breonna Taylor Verdict

The governor's order comes a day after police officers involved in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor, a Black Kentucky woman who was killed by Louisville police in her own...

After Breonna Taylor, How The Fight Against Racial Injustice Moves Forward

Author and historian Ibram X. Kendi talks about what's next in the fight for justice for Black Americans.

Boston Protesters Express Rage And Exhaustion Over Lack Of Charges In Breonna Taylor's Death

"I'm sick and tired of what's going on in the country," said one protester at a rally in Boston just hours after the announcement.

How To Create Anti-Racist Energy Policies

We need a national policy to end utility shutoffs until we have a vaccine or treatment for COVID-19, writes Shalanda Baker.

A Pro-Cop Rally In Arlington Is Met With Black Lives Matter Supporters

A group of about 100 people, made up of mostly older white men, stood in front of Arlington's town hall Thursday holding black-and-white American flags with a blue line. Across...

Seeking Racial Justice, A 2-Day 'Scholar Strike' Disrupts Mass. Universities

The so-called "Scholar Strike," it looked more like a display of commitment to racial justice than an adversarial labor action. But participants said they hope the two-day disruption will change...

Boston Police Task Force Calls For A New Oversight Office — With Subpoena Power

The Boston Police Reform Task Force is recommending the city create an independent office with broad investigatory and subpoena powers that could review and resolve civilian complaints and assess Boston...

WBUR News

Sep 10, 2020

Mass. Action Against Police Brutality protesters march down Tremont Street Wednesday night. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

Families Of People Killed By Police In Mass. Call For Reopening Cases

Family members and friends of Terrence Coleman, Usaamah Rahim, Juston Root, Eurie Stamps and others in a Wednesday demonstration spoke about how for them, justice would be law enforcement being...

WBUR News

02:28Sep 9, 2020

Philadelphia Musicians Respond To America's Racial Reckoning

The killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and the subsequent demonstrations have led some musicians to create protest songs.

Here & Now

05:37Sep 8, 2020

A member of the Proud Boys fires a paint ball gun into a crowd of anti-police protesters as the two sides clashed on August 22, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

What's The Connection Between Civilian Militias And The Police?

We talk to a former FBI agent who went undercover with right-wing militants in the 1990s about the groups' overlap with law enforcement.

On Point

47:14Sep 1, 2020

1 Person Dead In Portland Amid Clashes Between Trump Supporters And Counterprotesters

Mostly peaceful protests in Portland, Oregon, this summer have been marked by high-profile conflicts.