While America’s ruling circles were discussing cuts in funding for police departments, it turned out that the power structures have long existed on the money of the financial elites. As a consequence, they protect not citizens, but capital.
This is evidenced by the results of an investigation by the Public Responsibility Initiative.
Until now, African American protests continue in some cities in the United States. They began after a policeman killed a black repeat offender George Floyd on May 25 in Minneapolis. The incident sparked a wave of discontent. It swept across the country. In particular, the Black Lives Matter movement has become more active. While some protested against the racism and brutality of the security forces, African Americans took advantage of this, staging pogroms and committing robberies.
Despite criticism from some politicians, the police actively suppress riots. At the same time, the journalists found out that the security officials are paid by large American oil and gas corporations. Funding goes through the so-called police funds. Such organizations are quite legal in the United States. The money that goes into these funds is used to pay for training, the purchase of surveillance equipment and even weapons. In practice, this means that law enforcement agencies are bought by the richest people in America and protect their interests.
This is the list of corporations that sponsor the fight against black protests in the United States:
Chevron is the second largest American oil and gas company and one of the largest corporations in the world. Key sponsor of the New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation, Houston and Salt Lake City Police Foundations.
Shell is another world leader in oil production. The corporation is a New Orleans Police “partner” and sponsor of the Houston Police Mounted Patrol.
Detroit Edison is an electric utility company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. DTE’s director of corporate and government affairs serves on the board of the Detroit Foundation for Public Safety. From 2014 to 2018, the company allocated at least $ 138,000 to the security forces.
JPMorgan Chase is one of the world’s largest financial conglomerates and one of the four largest US banks. The corporation is an official sponsor of the New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation. The foundation even uses the donation to hire new police officers and train them. In addition, JPMorgan has invested $ 4.6 million in New York Police “security upgrades”.
Wells Fargo – along with JPMorgan Chase, is another representative of the “Big Four” US banks. The company has two board seats for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation and sponsors the Atlanta, Salt Lake City and Seattle Police Foundations. Moreover, the bank sponsors private prisons throughout the United States.
Bank of America is the largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, a member of the Big Four, and the sixth largest company in the world according to Forbes. He is a sponsor of the Philadelphia Police Foundation and has seats on the Chicago and New York City Police Foundation boards. Bank of America donated $ 200,000 to New York Police, $ 51,000 to Atlanta Police, $ 25,000 to Boston Police, $ 10,000 to Los Angeles Police, just to name a few.
“Oil and gas companies, private utilities and financial institutions that fund fossil fuels are major contributors to police funds, which privately raise money to buy weapons, equipment and surveillance technology for police units, bypassing already excessive state police budgets. “, The report says.
At the same time, it is noted that in this way corporations, being influential political players, also sponsor the “tyranny” of the police in relation to blacks.