We The People

I can’t wait for you all to see We The People! This Higher Ground project is filled with the songs and the heart of so many of our favorite artists—but even more, it’s a rallying cry for a rising generation that’s ready to take on the world. Watch it on @Netflix on July 4! 🇺🇸 https://t.co/c8N7nb01n8

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) June 2, 2021

Michelle and I are excited to share our latest show from Higher Ground: We The People. Some of our favorite artists got together with amazing animators to remix civics—and the result is a lot better than what we had in school. Check it out on @Netflix this July 4. pic.twitter.com/PlsSyq5pgk

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 2, 2021

13TH

Beautiful. 👊🏾 https://t.co/C2262PjsVj

— Ava DuVernay (@ava) June 16, 2020

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In the last 3 weeks, millions of members (a 4,665% increase vs. 3 wks prior) have sought out 13TH, Ava DuVernay’s essential doc about the intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the US.

The film is also available for free on YouTube as an educational resource. pic.twitter.com/EYOVgHaV82

— Netflix (@netflix) June 16, 2020

Your Actions Speak Louder

White folks: instead of lather, rinse & repeat your tweets for #GeorgeFloyd or about #AmyCooper, here are things you can *actually do* to interrupt that stems from which you benefit.

Compiled by white people who made the effort: https://t.co/z8rydxjNlkhttps://t.co/PJkFBM7dNm

— brittany packnett cunningham. (@MsPackyetti) May 26, 2020

https://twitter.com/melodyMcooper/status/1264965252866641920

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Ok I am nonbinary. But socially I am read as a woman. A white woman. And from that standpoint I wanna address white women/people socially read as white women because this is important:

we are weapons of white supremacy; in fact, we are THE weapon of white supremacy

— Elle Has Cats (and ADHD) (@ellle_em) May 26, 2020

Our supposed "purity" is the justification behind acts of racial violence and murder. Lynchings were so often committed because a black man was accused of assaulting/touching/looking at! a white woman. The specter of black men coming after white women was major racist propaganda

— Elle Has Cats (and ADHD) (@ellle_em) May 26, 2020

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And we were not innocent in this of course. This is pretty basic history. Think of "To Kill A Mockingbird," an entire book based on a white woman using the fear of black men's desire to hide her own shame and her father's guilt.

That isn't made up. That happened.

— Elle Has Cats (and ADHD) (@ellle_em) May 26, 2020

Emmett Till was murdered because of a white woman who lied. A white woman who has lived her life free from the consequences of her actions, a white woman who caused a child's violent lynching and got away with it.

White women we know of what we are capable

— Elle Has Cats (and ADHD) (@ellle_em) May 26, 2020

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And white women, when we call the police on a black person we are knowingly committing a modern-day lynching.#amycooper could very have killed that man, just as Carolyn Bryant Donham killed Emmett Till

— Elle Has Cats (and ADHD) (@ellle_em) May 26, 2020

This is a difficult truth to face, I know. White women, sometimes we (and those of us socially read as women) feel like we aren't as bad as white men because we're, you know, women.

But when it comes to racism in general and anti-blackness in particular, the dynamic shifts

— Elle Has Cats (and ADHD) (@ellle_em) May 26, 2020

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and white women we have social power--enough social power to get people killed.

So we cannot be passive here. We cannot assume we are doing enough. We have to be very clear that we will not tolerate racism done in our name

— Elle Has Cats (and ADHD) (@ellle_em) May 26, 2020

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More here

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673 And Counting. Thanks, President Obama

.@POTUS commuted the sentences of 111 largely nonviolent drug offenders—35 of which were serving life sentences: https://t.co/sTHkwyYhua

— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) August 30, 2016

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Carrie Johnson: Obama Grants Clemency To 111 Prisoners; DOJ ‘Confident’ It Will Clear Backlog

President Obama shortened the prison sentences of 111 inmates Tuesday, including 35 people who had expected to spend the rest of their lives in federal custody, authorities told NPR. Word of the new batch of clemency grants came as the second in command at the Justice Department told NPR that lawyers there have worked through an enormous backlog of drug cases and, despite doubts from prisoner advocates, they will be able to consider each of the thousands of applications from drug criminals before Obama leaves office in 2017.

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[CHART CORRECTION] @POTUS just commuted 111 people, bringing the total to more than the past 10 presidents combined. pic.twitter.com/bBDAUzLBXt

— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) August 30, 2016

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“At our current pace, we are confident that we will be able to review and make a recommendation to the president on every single drug petition we currently have,” Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates said. The early releases apply to mostly nonviolent drug offenders who would have received lighter punishments if they committed the same crimes today. The new commutations mean this White House has granted 673 commutations, more than the past 10 presidents combined. Tuesday’s grants follow 214 more earlier this month.

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More here

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This White House has now granted 673 commutations, more than the past 10 presidents combined. https://t.co/Sam8jqjWVD

— NPR (@NPR) August 30, 2016

.@POTUS cannot do it alone. Congress must act to enact a fairer federal sentencing system: https://t.co/eNv6u25429 pic.twitter.com/J4cL84Yjyc

— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) August 30, 2016

Early Bird Chat

Good news: 185 businesses answered @POTUS's call to give Americans with a criminal record a fair chance at a future. pic.twitter.com/O8c9ElYkWw

— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) August 16, 2016

‘A Nation Of Second Chances’

Breaking: @POTUS just granted clemency to 58 men and women who have earned a second chance: https://t.co/Dl2oXBCOHj pic.twitter.com/wmS5RxCM67

— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) May 5, 2016

A Tweet Or Two

"Kids who don't always look like us or don't live in the same neighborhood as us, they're just as precious" —@POTUS https://t.co/HB9JfXOrTK

— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) October 21, 2015

.@POTUS on investing in treatment vs. incarceration to help solve the epidemic of prescription drug abuse. https://t.co/L4EZXukUzE

— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) October 21, 2015

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President Barack Obama vetoes the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The president vetoed the sweeping $612 billion defense policy bill, citing objections over how the measure is funded

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MORE: Obama vetoes sweeping defense bill, insists on new version that doesn't tie his hands on his priorities: https://t.co/3DeNO7PJdc

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 22, 2015

Obama defends Black Lives Matter movement, saying it draws attention to 'legitimate issue': https://t.co/NQWzTYAFVt

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 22, 2015

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A truly amazing picture

Vice President Biden reviews his remarks with President Obama yesterday before his announcement. pic.twitter.com/2GjCol5p8g

— petesouza (archived) (@PeteSouza44) October 22, 2015

Dallas Morning News: "Texas should stop fighting and start complying with" the Clean Power Plan. Well said. https://t.co/8F8YtQIj6t

— Brian Deese NARA (@Deese44) October 22, 2015

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The First Lady and @KingJames have a message for the Class of 2020: Dream BIG! The world #BetterMakeRoom for you. pic.twitter.com/DKXKVJguPT

— First Lady- Archived (@FLOTUS44) October 22, 2015

The Prince will join @FLOTUS and @DrBiden meeting servicemen in Fort Belvoir undertaking recovery and rehabilitation pic.twitter.com/xkV5kwORZJ

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 22, 2015

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Check out @FLOTUS & @KingJames championing higher ed through #bettermakeroom https://t.co/RL07fGVjzT

— P. Aniskoff (NARA) (@PAniskoff44) October 22, 2015

Prince Harry will visit Virginia and Washington USA on 28 October in support of @InvictusOrlando 2016 pic.twitter.com/eJWNWZ6mnd

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 22, 2015

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U.S. existing home sales surge 4.7% in September https://t.co/UQovVGuHC2 pic.twitter.com/TWMqyWbNNc

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) October 22, 2015

Obama pushes Congress to give Puerto Rico sweeping powers to reduce its $73 billion debt burden through bankruptcy https://t.co/pAwitUJ1w8

— Bloomberg (@business) October 22, 2015

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President Obama to veto defense policy bill; this marks @POTUS' 5th veto since taking office https://t.co/6HDdrY4fYA pic.twitter.com/8I31aWx7Vu

— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 22, 2015

Supporters rally behind St. Louis congregations hit by arson https://t.co/74WcT8nnKg

— St. Louis Post-Dispatch (@stltoday) October 22, 2015

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Florida Black Caucus calls for independent investigation into #CoreyJones death https://t.co/Dm3T63tdpY pic.twitter.com/uAdeYD8MGQ

— Florida Democrats (@FlaDems) October 22, 2015

The cop who killed Corey Jones didn’t have his badge on him at the time of the shooting. So how was Jones to know? https://t.co/XN2dS9MnTm

— Jamil Smith جميل كريم (@JamilSmith) October 22, 2015

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A Tweet Or Two

We love our First Family. pic.twitter.com/dPFzr4nQQM

— EBONY MAGAZINE (@EBONY) October 5, 2015

President Obama will meet with Oregon shooting victims' families http://t.co/uVle8cxlQs

— TIME (@TIME) October 6, 2015

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President Obama's trade deal =
More #MadeInAmerica exports abroad.
More higher-paying jobs here at home. #TPP https://t.co/9GxPOPUoUU

— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) October 6, 2015

Watch how President Obama's trade deal puts American workers (and American cherries) on top: http://t.co/RCNK0hAHFnhttps://t.co/9GxPOQbZMs

— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) October 6, 2015

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Good. Disgusting racist scumbags

Multiple Firings After Racially Charged Facebook Remarks Mocking a Black Child Go Viral https://t.co/zXBgIDdzSK pic.twitter.com/fFpAucRT5C

— zellie (@zellieimani) October 5, 2015

White Americans are the biggest terror threat in U.S., study finds http://t.co/cxoFBB8Q61 pic.twitter.com/iFt40G7X9V

— NBC News (@NBCNews) June 24, 2015

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The Justice Department will free 6,000 federal prisoners at the end of the month, the largest-ever one-time release http://t.co/jtiRVO4F04

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 6, 2015

Obama is right to be cautious in Syria http://t.co/IaR1U5eehj

— Eugene Robinson (@Eugene_Robinson) October 6, 2015

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Any wonder why you have dumb racists wandering around?

https://twitter.com/CuntryCuzn/status/650013023806091264

Texas mom calls out publisher after noticing high school son’s text book glossed over slavery http://t.co/4OZ9HeLVM3 pic.twitter.com/5yPx5WxmmL

— Raw Story (@RawStory) October 4, 2015

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In other news, water is wet

Black and white Americans use drugs at similar rates. One group is punished more for it. http://t.co/0qP9V6gM0V pic.twitter.com/PbTEG3ZLjZ

— Vox (@voxdotcom) October 4, 2015

The hidden costs of funding prisons instead of schools http://t.co/DsMqYzzYU4 by @Chepkangai pic.twitter.com/U1owHSWcE4

— Southern Poverty Law Center (@splcenter) October 4, 2015

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One more reason why nobody should shed tears when proposals are made to tax jerks like these their fair share

https://twitter.com/SeanMcElwee/status/650824972038991872

https://twitter.com/SeanMcElwee/status/650825439909388288

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How about House #GOP puts a #gun safety bill on the Floor and the people we elected to debate it actually debate it? https://t.co/ENlox1dKMn

— Christine Pelosi (@sfpelosi) October 4, 2015

We should all hang our heads in shame over this: http://t.co/hoHzEXTfIC pic.twitter.com/K6q5wcbAhm

— Michael A. Cohen (NOT TRUMP’S FORMER FIXER) (@speechboy71) October 4, 2015

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Voter suppression all around us

250,000 registered voters in Alabama don't have valid voter ID & state just closed 31 DMVs http://t.co/e6vGqwSEF1 pic.twitter.com/oU0C50kRIK

— Ari Berman (@AriBerman) October 3, 2015

Barbering for Freedom: Segregation, separatism, & history of black barbershops http://t.co/JgGK1TjLTE @rodriquese pic.twitter.com/TVOaOSdXhe

— Southern Poverty Law Center (@splcenter) October 4, 2015

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President Obama And Vice: Fixing The System

This Is Why They Protest

Racism doesn't usually look like someone shouting slurs, it's looks like people eagerly looking for a reason why a black kid deserved to die

— 🅛🅞🅤 (@LouSchu) December 24, 2014

I March beacuse I'm EXHAUSTED! #BlackLivesMatter #WhyIMarch pic.twitter.com/iAHH3vCtvV

— Kiri Laurelle Davis (@KiriLaurelle) April 30, 2015

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What separates the police from burglars, murderers, etc., who do innocent citizens harm? At this point, they are one and the same

Watch the @BaltimorePolice assault this peaceful protestor last night. He left on a stretcher. #BaltimoreUprising pic.twitter.com/6bWgSpIaGS

— deray (@deray) May 3, 2015

If you think this is an appropriate response to breaking curfew, you might be a fascist. Video via @deray: pic.twitter.com/i2Qh1skLL1

— Keegan Stephan (@KeeganNYC) May 3, 2015

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Violent actions by the police sent a Black protester to the hospital but the white protesters breaking curfew get pleaded with. Welcome to America

Y'all, listen to this. You must. This is the 3rd warning. An additional 5 minutes. #BaltimoreUprising pic.twitter.com/LeAstcU9In

— deray (@deray) May 3, 2015

Police literally beat black protestors last night requiring one to leave on a stretcher & pleaded with white protestors. #BaltimoreUprising

— deray (@deray) May 3, 2015

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pic.twitter.com/OevoCSZqCm

— John Perry Barlow (@JPBarlow) May 2, 2015

Mya Hall
Rekia Boyd
Tanisha Anderson
Yvette Smith
Miriam Carey
Shelly Fry
Darnisha Harris
Malissa Williams https://t.co/jkNbICYx1p

— #freekeithdavisjr (@race_jones) May 1, 2015

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For those saying “technically, it could happen.” Because you know, Black people are supermen and superwomen who can break our spines in two places, crush our larynx, break our leg, and cause a brain bleed all while handcuffed (arms behind our backs) and lying face down in a van. Miss me with that BS

https://twitter.com/hubbit/status/593597269594808320

Think #FreddieGray self-inflicted his injuries?

Try crushing your own larynx and get back to me.

— Absurdistwords (@absurdistwords) April 30, 2015

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If Freddie Gray lived, he would've likely been placed in jail for a crime he didn't commit http://t.co/KOvgaaUndx pic.twitter.com/zCUXvaDmO2

— Vox (@voxdotcom) May 4, 2015

NYPD paid over $428 million in settlements over five years http://t.co/2ueKsMpHdl pic.twitter.com/a5NKnNvHDE

— MuckRock (@MuckRock) May 3, 2015

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To protect and serve? Yeah, right

Black Youth: "Why so many of y'all out here?"

Cop: "To make sure u are safe"

Youth: *Laughs*#Texas2Baltimore pic.twitter.com/PeU76mpHI5

— Brother Abdul Qiyam Muhammad (@BrotherQiyam) May 2, 2015

https://twitter.com/gaumwhat/status/594881018630262784

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A curfew can’t even be applied as intended…*Sigh*

So... the #Baltimore curfew was lifted the day after white allies started getting arrested, huh? What a coincidence. 😒 #BaltimoreUprising

— April (@ReignOfApril) May 3, 2015

After the racially disparate application of the curfew is exposed, @MayorSRB ends it immediately. #BaltimoreUprising pic.twitter.com/IXmcDGp7rS

— deray (@deray) May 3, 2015

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https://twitter.com/CallMeCharizma/status/594884237582606336

After glaringly obvious racial disparity in execution of Baltimore curfew was made public, mayor ends curfew. https://t.co/vRqMuWDCoV

— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) May 3, 2015

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https://twitter.com/SAThurstonDC/status/594878856978427904

WATCH: Unprovoked cop pepper sprays passive protester wearing ‘F*ck the police’ t-shirt http://t.co/UKL2J8KUTQ @deray pic.twitter.com/GxY6RLYo4U

— John Byrne (@johnbyrnester) May 3, 2015

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Baltimore Sun reports video camera in Freddie Gray police van was broken. In several of my excessive force cases cameras have been "broken."

— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) May 3, 2015

Curious if any of conservatives who generally attack teachers unions are attacking police union for defending #FreddieGray cops

— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) May 1, 2015

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Chuck Todd is a scumbag

https://twitter.com/Charles_Aaron/status/594870810386530304

White People Started. #BaltimoreUprising pic.twitter.com/EGx5OayxOF

— deray (@deray) May 3, 2015

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City Life http://t.co/VeY2yNLURx pic.twitter.com/NzjgjAsn0D

— Stacey E. Singleton (@staceyNYCDC) May 3, 2015

How Western media would cover Baltimore if it happened elsewhere http://t.co/aCMMjzLUt0 #mustread

— alex medina (@mrmedina) May 1, 2015

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.@TIME's iconic new cover features work of 26-year-old #Baltimore photographer @byDVNLLN. http://t.co/7yMgig1zyK pic.twitter.com/UA0eC4Uf8x

— The Root (@TheRoot) April 30, 2015

Buck always been real. http://t.co/jt9keTFS5w

— Adam Bernard Breshear (@Alyricz) May 1, 2015

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https://twitter.com/It_Me_Obed/status/593618500993744896

https://twitter.com/jbouie/status/593603937367924736

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https://twitter.com/Are0h/status/593609717005582338

No, Freddie Gray did not have a "pre-existing spinal and neck injury." http://t.co/VzwmXpUsJW

— Gawker (@Gawker) April 30, 2015

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This is very important. #BaltimoreUprising pic.twitter.com/AXWQpOKrM6

— ✧ 𝒜𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓁 ✿ (@cosmixhoney) April 30, 2015

Privilege allows you to define your own riots as "tea parties" in the history books! #BaltimoreUprising pic.twitter.com/ysdHQgXhQN

— Pastor Benjamin J. Hall (@PastorBJHall) April 29, 2015

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Police Shoot Two Unarmed Men 377 Times, In Car That Had Already Crashed http://t.co/RBHih7PXE6

— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) April 28, 2015

https://twitter.com/curlyheadRED/status/593040074046087169

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How black social-media activists built the nation’s first 21st-century civil rights movement: http://t.co/qbY7uYmT3t pic.twitter.com/I0zhRQk7Ul

— Mark S. Luckie (@marksluckie) May 4, 2015

"What does it do to a child to grow up knowing that you cannot simply be a child?" - @ClintSmithIII http://t.co/BjuvzycTYj #BlackLivesMatter

— TED Talks (@TEDTalks) May 1, 2015

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Nancy LeTourneau: What Can We Do?

Leonard Pitts is going to start writing a series of columns to answer the question posed to him by a 55 year-old white woman from Austin, TX who said she was heartsick about the police violence against unarmed African Americans and wanted to know what she could do. Today he reports what Rev. Tony Lee said in response. “Protests,” Lee told me in a telephone interview, “are one way that pushes people’s feet to the fire. Whatever the issue is, it’s brought to the forefront. But…there’s still need for people to do legislative advocacy, dealing with policy, whether it’s from the national to the local, showing people how to be engaged and [affecting] the policies that have such direct impact.”

More here

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All over the world – police brutality against minorities stays consistent

DEVELOPING: Water cannons and stun grenades used on protesters in Tel Aviv http://t.co/2vpuu1HS6P pic.twitter.com/osJ0aor6TY

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) May 3, 2015

Ethiopian-Israelis protest in Tel Aviv over police treatment http://t.co/jv6k6mmRlO pic.twitter.com/tU9KmcqYzQ

— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 3, 2015

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Striking photos from Tel Aviv rally to protest police violence against Ethiopian Israelis http://t.co/cmNB2os5IM pic.twitter.com/EnDZ7Z2cPR

— Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) May 3, 2015

Tel Aviv rush hour brought to standstill by Ethiopian Israelis protesting racism, police discrimination. pic.twitter.com/maXZ1mM2r4

— joshmitnick (@joshmitnick) May 3, 2015

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Central Tel Aviv looks like a war zone; it is a watershed day in relations with Ethiopian Israelis

— Chemi Shalev (@ChemiShalev) May 3, 2015

Israeli police have rarely used such force against TA demonstrators; now for the debate on whether this has anything to do with their color

— Chemi Shalev (@ChemiShalev) May 3, 2015

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Ethiopian Israelis Protest Racism And Police Brutality In Tel Aviv http://t.co/9IToHElYx1 Hmm....so familiar pic.twitter.com/z0bv7Yt8az

— GoBrooklyn (@GoBrooklyn) May 3, 2015

Police fire stun grenades at Tel Aviv rally by Ethiopian Israelis http://t.co/3C6sopuOGO

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) May 3, 2015

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Strongest images I took tonight at the protest in #TelAviv where #EthiopianIsraelis took to the streets in thousands. pic.twitter.com/QFekZLQ9DY

— Anna Ahronheim (@AAhronheim) May 3, 2015

Why we took to the streets: Ethiopian Israelis who refuse to stay silent http://t.co/SCumvbZhn3 pic.twitter.com/nrlOHYYtOe

— Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) May 3, 2015

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Ethiopian-Israelis' protest against police violence is met with police violence http://t.co/sl2yqkOLdF pic.twitter.com/o8PGQAPsv7

— +972 Magazine (@972mag) May 3, 2015

Israelis, Many Of Ethiopian Descent, Stage Mass Protest In Tel Aviv Demanding Equality For All http://t.co/AQBEeZrEn7

— Margie (@paeznyc) May 3, 2015