The actions of the peaceful demonstrators were not directly causal to the looters and violence that occurred later. These demonstrators voiced their concern of the use of lethal force by police officers in a respectful manner. According to the United States Constitution, we, as Americans, have the freedom of speech. In this case, the right to protest peacefully. The individuals engaging in looting, violence, and other criminal behavior made a conscious choice to disrespect others. Therefore, the action of the two groups are unrelated. In my opinion, police should be allowed to deescalate protests, that have turned violent, by any non-lethal means necessary. Of course, the proper steps of de-escalation must be followed. First, police
