# When a cop is doing a George Floyd in front of you, what should be the appropriate response? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 10, 2020, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334 "2020-06-10T00:22:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/81 "2021-05-21T17:06:48Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > > [@mmmiiikkkeee](#): > > > > I’ll throw in an opposing opinion to the general consensus of don’t physically interfere, not that I’m saying I personally would. In the case of seeing someone hijack the plane you are on, we generally advise everyone to rush the hijacker, even if they get hurt/killed in the process, since we now have an example of how many more people may get hurt of they are left to do their thing. > > In the aftermath of 9/11, this is the standard advice (fight back against anyone who hijacks your aircraft) - not because of the damage hijackers may do by using your aircraft as a weapon, but _because you very likely have nothing to lose and everything to gain by fighting back, and you very likely have everything to lose by not fighting back._ > > The situation is different when you are a bystander watching a cop slowly execute someone. You are not personally in mortal peril if you choose to do nothing. If you try to intervene, you are at risk of potentially fatal consequences and severe legal consequences for yourself. 100% agree ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2021, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/82 "2021-05-22T21:36:50Z")
Yes, and you know why? Because that is exactly what happened, not only for Floyd but for others. It is all very nice for a poster to claim they braver than everyone else, but it turns out that most people will not do anything that _stupid_- and brave. This has occurred several times and so far- no one, NO ONE has been the “tough guy”- what makes anyone here so sure they are braver than hundreds of bystanders? Because of course- we do not really know the guy is dying until he is dead. And if anyon edoes intervene, and the guy does not die- then who is to say he would have if people had not intervened? There will be jail. All to maybe, _possibly_ save someone whom you do not know? Sure if a big sign pops up “THIS GUY WILL DIE IN THREE MINUTES IF SOMEONE DOES NOT INTERVENE” then that would be different. But no one knows that. So, you are not risking your life and career to save someone’s life- you are risking it all to help someone whom the cops think is a dangerous criminal- and who likely _IS_ a dangerous criminal. Sure _Floyd_ was not dangerous (he was a criminal, however) but how do _you know_? Maybe that guy just killed three kids with a machete minutes ago. And your intervention will let him get away - to kill more kids. As Saintly Loser says: > [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > What we’re telling you (or at least what I’m telling you) is that the scene you’re describing is a tough-guy fantasy. and > [@k9bfriender](#): > > But, what you are asking is that people actually physically intervene. There are 4 cops there, all armed. If you start assaulting them, then they have legal justification to just shoot you dead. You will be breaking the law, and should you live, will be spending a substantial amount of time incarcerated. You will lose everything that you own in lawyer fees, court costs, and ultimately fines for your crime. Whatever job you have now you will never get to do again with your criminal record, and will be lucky to get a MW job, as discriminating against violent felons is perfectly legal. > > Is this something that you would _really_ do, or just something you would tell others that they should have done? The one real idea besides filming that has come out of this is calling 911 and describing the situation, maybe asking for a supervisor. You might even call out “Hey your supervisor is on his way!”- maybe the cop will think twice. No one here will be the tough guy since no one _was_ the tough guy IRL. Claiming to be “that guy” is a claim to be very exceptional. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/83 "2021-05-23T01:41:51Z")
A parallel from 32 years ago: > **[École Polytechnique massacre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89cole_Polytechnique_massacre#Failure_to_intervene)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > > Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}45°30′17″N 73°36′46″W / 45.50472°N 73.61278°W / 45.50472; -73.61278 > The École Polytechnique massacre (French: tuerie de l'École polytechnique), also known as the Montreal mas... ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/84 "2021-05-23T02:18:34Z")
Absolutely not a parallel, many people tried to intervene on behalf of Floyd including a 911 dispatcher who was watching the incident on video, an off duty rescue squad member and and passers by. The fact that they were not successful is not their fault; there is very little that can be done to stop homicidal thugs when they are cops. Are any of the people critical of the public response even familiar with the incident? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/85 "2021-05-23T02:22:19Z")
ideally people would attack abusive cops in the process of committing murder the same way people should attack any other murderer in the act, but it’s hard to tell which police acts are fatal or justified or not ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/86 "2021-05-23T02:24:56Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I doubt Chauvin was smirking when the guilty verdict came in. > > When police officers are held accountable for committing crimes and sent to prison, they’ll stop committing crimes. yup. until good cops face punishments when bad cops do bad things it’ll never stop. as it stands other cops and the brass punish good cops who report abuse and cover up for bad cops. they need military style communal punishment to reform things. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/87 "2021-05-23T02:39:11Z")
One thing I’m curious to know from the internet tough guys: what did you do after you heard about Floyd’s murder? I assume that if you were willing to charge four armed killers, you must have hit the streets during the pandemic to protest the killing? ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/88 "2021-05-23T03:00:15Z")
I’ll be candid. I want to be alive. If I bum rush a cop, they can shoot me dead. Call m me a coward or whatever - I can take it. If that were my family or good friend, yeah, I’d probably say ‘fuck it’ and try to break it up. I wouldn’t do nothing. Filming and making that known - especially with an increasing number of police convictions - is not a nothing act. It’s important activism. And for me, it’s probably a middle ground between nothing and falling on your own sword. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/89 "2021-05-23T03:10:57Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > yup. until good cops face punishments when bad cops do bad things it’ll never stop. > > as it stands other cops and the brass punish good cops who report abuse and cover up for bad cops. > > they need military style communal punishment to reform things. I feel what’s necessary is an independent oversight organization, completely separate from the police, that has the authority and resources to investigate and prosecute police officers accused of crimes or accused of colluding in the cover-up of a crime by another officer. What we’ve seen is we can’t trust the police to monitor themselves. Even if it’s done through separate departments within the police. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/90 "2021-05-23T12:36:20Z")
Unfortunately all you can mostly safely do is to video the incident while yelling, “You’re killing him.” Otherwise you’re risking your own beatdown or death. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/91 "2021-05-23T13:28:04Z")
You’re 100% right, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/92 "2021-05-23T14:26:32Z")
And to be honest, even that is not without risk. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/93 "2021-05-23T19:45:46Z")
That is true. But that level of risk is pretty common for people to take, and I think I would do so. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/94 "2021-05-23T23:27:05Z")
So the thread takeaway is: If a cop is killing someone in front of you, you can’t physically prevent _that_ death, but you can video it to deter _future_ deaths. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/95 "2021-05-23T23:46:24Z")
> [@bump](#): > > You guys are telling me that someone is being choked out by a knee on the neck for NINE MINUTES, and the best anyone can do is film it? I’m not buying it. Nobody in this thread has yet suggested a better course of action. If you have one, let us know. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/96 "2021-05-23T23:52:48Z")
How do you _know_ the man is dying? Is there like a video game thing showing his hit points? 🤨 And we have also suggested dialing 911. Cops violently subdue perps a 1000 times a day or more, and _usually_ they deserve it. About once a year the cop goes too far and the guy dies. So, you want to bet your life on that one chance in a million? ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2021, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/97 "2021-05-24T02:08:13Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > About once a year the cop goes too far and the guy dies Try almost 2, 000 times a year. The truth hurts. You were off by a factor of thousands. …RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – An estimated 1,900 people died in the United States during arrest or while in police custody June 2015 through May 2016, according to a new report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and RTI International. [[rti.org](http://rti.org)]… ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2021, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/98 "2021-05-24T02:14:26Z")
Sure, a _estimated_ 1900 times a year for-_The arrest-related deaths report represents a national accounting of persons who died during the process of arrest, including justifiable homicides by law enforcement personnel and deaths attributed to suicide, accidental injury, and natural causes._ Now, in how many of those 1900 did the cop actually murder a guy he was arresting? Those were so rare they were not even included. Here is the actual study: [https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/ardprs1516pf.pdf](https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/ardprs1516pf.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2021, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/99 "2021-05-24T10:20:30Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Absolutely not a parallel, many people tried to intervene on behalf of Floyd including a 911 dispatcher who was watching the incident on video, an off duty rescue squad member and and passers by. The fact that they were not successful is not their fault; there is very little that can be done to stop homicidal thugs when they are cops. > > Are any of the people critical of the public response even familiar with the incident? Nobody tried to _physically_ intervene on Floyd’s behalf, and some posters in this thread are being critical of them (and of other posters in this thread who have said they would not have tried to physically intervene). ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2021, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334/100 "2021-05-24T10:25:33Z")
Of course they didn’t, that’s not something that happens in real life, only after the fact on the internet. But many people did try to intervene. > **[Crowd was held back from intervening in George Floyd’s death, witnesses say...](https://ktla.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/nationworld/officer-accused-in-george-floyds-death-gave-onlookers-a-cold-stare-witness-says/)** > > Onlookers grew increasingly angry as they begged Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin to take his knee off George Floyd’s neck, but Chauvin would not let up, and another officer fo… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-a-cop-is-doing-a-george-floyd-in-front-of-you-what-should-be-the-appropriate-response/855334.md?page=6)