Protests Against Police Shooting of Black Americans Continue in the U.S.

Protests by American citizens against police shootings of Black individuals have continued for the third consecutive day in various cities; despite recent shootings in Dallas that resulted in the deaths of five police officers, the protests have largely remained non-violent. Demonstrators in some U.S. cities have blocked several major roads. Meanwhile, reports of tensions between a group of protesters and riot police in Baton Rouge, the capital of the southern state of Louisiana, have emerged. Baton Rouge is where police shot and killed an African American citizen named Alton Sterling. Shortly thereafter, the killing of Philando Castile, another African American citizen whose shooting in Minneapolis (Minnesota) was widely shared on social media, fueled the protests. The identity of the suspect in the shooting on Thursday evening towards police officers in Dallas has been announced as 'Micah Xavier Johnson.' In the shootings, five police officers were killed. During the protests in Dallas, Texas, a sniper targeted and killed five police officers. Barack Obama, the President of the United States, who shortened his European trip to return to America due to the deaths of police officers, stated in Warsaw that Americans of all backgrounds are 'disgusted by the unforgivable attacks on police, in Dallas or anywhere else; whether those who participated in the protests (against police shootings of Black individuals) or families who have concerns about police conduct.' He emphasized that the American people remain united and that their society will not revert to the decades past when there were significant ethnic and racial tensions. The recent protests are a continuation of demonstrations accusing American police of racism. In 2014, following the killing of an African American teenager named Michael Brown by police, widespread protests erupted in Ferguson that lasted for weeks and led to riots and violence. Protests on Saturday night in Minneapolis, where Mr. Castile was killed, proceeded without significant violence; however, protesters blocked the main road connecting to the city, which lies on both sides of the Mississippi River. In Baton Rouge, where Mr. Castile was killed, tensions between members of the 'Black Panther' group and riot police have been reported. Reuters states that a group of 'Black Panther' members openly took to the streets with shotguns. Louisiana laws allow residents of the state to openly carry firearms. Police report that several individuals have been arrested in the city, although protests have continued afterward. Protests and marches have also continued in Nashville, Tennessee, Indianapolis, Indiana, San Francisco, California, New York, and Washington.