“Defund the police:” Perceptions among protesters in the 2020 March on Washington

Abstract

Research summary: Using qualitative interviews, this study examines how protesters with varying levels of commitment to the Black Lives Matter movement perceive the slogan defund the police. Findings indicate while a small number had reservations regarding the term, the vast majority of protesters associate defunding as a two‐step process that starts with reduction of police budgets, followed by reallocation of these resources toward much needed services in the very communities the departments serve. Findings also revealed prior engagement with the Black Lives Matter movement, and the level of commitment of participants did play an important role in being able to provide nuanced context to the call for action. Policy implications: Implementation of reduction of police budgets indicates a need to reimagine the role and function of police in most affected communities. In addition, there is a need to reinvest in local resources that would provide the much needed support toward marginalized communities. Further, social movement organizations should partner with corporate brands and advertising agencies to effectively promote their goals and slogans toward a diverse range of audience in media.

Restoring resilience through joy: The pursuit of happiness in the midst of unprecedented times

“…On May 25, 2020, the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police was recorded and quickly went viral, sparking protests across the country and meeting the ire of Donald Trump, who throughout his presidency, took a staunch approach to systemic policing ( Bitecofer, 2020 ; Jacobson, 2020 ). Following the murders of both Breonna Taylor in March 2020 and George Floyd in May 2020, nationwide protests called for the defunding of local police leading to major U.S. cities like Los Angeles and New York City to cut millions of dollars in police funding ( Cobbina-Dungy et al, 2022 ). Although not murdered by police, Ahmaud Arbery was murdered at the hands of white vigilantes emboldened by Whiteness and policing ( Vila et al, 2021 ).…”

The Roles of Police-Related versus Non-Police-Related Considerations in Shaping Diffused Support for the Police: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Recent years have witnessed unprecedented public criticism and protest against the police, particularly in the USA (e.g. Cobbina-Dungy et al 2022; Lum et al 2021). While few would disagree that all citizens in democratic societies deserve fair and unbiased policing services (as argued by the protestors), public protests of such magnitude raise important questions about how citizens develop their beliefs about the police and the extent to which they reflect police conduct as opposed to various other factors, such as the conduct of the government more generally.…”

Did Black Lives Matter Protests Change Public Opinion?

“…As previously mentioned, the BLM movement centers on anti-racism. On top of that, the George Floyd case in 2020 and many other instances of unarmed Black people killed by police further brought another important agenda: defunding the police (Cobbina-Dungy et al, 2022;Jean, 2020). Protesters and other activists believe that the killing of unarmed civilians, especially Black people, occurred because law enforcing institutions are overpowered (Jean, 2020).…”