Thread by @ReadingThePix

1/ Seeing so many pics of black & white police in solidarity w protesters in Reuters lead “Outrage over Floyd death" slideshow today. This captures our confusion in a nutshell. One dutiful officer w wrist ties at the ready while the other takes a knee. reut.rs/3dxtcZN

2/ Reuters Floyd protest slideshow today offers significant number of pix (9 of 89) of police at demos either hugging protesters or taking a knee. Is that representative? Or is it wishful and enabling? reut.rs/3dxtcZN

3/ Photo of police taking knee at Floyd protest outside LA police HQ in Floyd slideshow even brings weight of faith into it. reut.rs/3dxtcZN

4/ In another pic from Reuters Floyd protest slideshow, even see National Guard chaplains taking a knee. More empathetic casting from militarized adjunct of the state. reut.rs/3dxtcZN

5/ Still more photos of police taking knee in Reuters Floyd protest slideshow, fist bumps in defense line or kneeling en masse as if repurposing the regiment. ttps://reut.rs/3dxtcZN

6/ Brutality aside, the issue is how kumbaya police-protester pix in Reuters Floyd slideshow square with the pix of roundups/apprehending young black protesters for confronting system of oppression. reut.rs/3dxtcZN

7/ Also pejorative is that, out of the 6 detention photos in the 89 photo Floyd protest slideshow (excluding mass roundup shot), only 1 shows a white person being detained.

8/ Ultimately, how much does the empathetic framing of police at protests against police violence square w reality? And, how much does the framing itself (check demographic & tonal consistency in this photo from Reuters slideshow) further fuel the rage? reut.rs/3dxtcZN

@threadreaderapp pls unroll