This white man showed up to a protest with a huge rifle and military gear – police just let him walk away

Protests around police brutality and violence have erupted in cities around the US and worldwide.

The death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis has led to a wave of unrest around police violence and brutality.

On social media, people have shared videos and photos of what’s happening where they are. One video from Chicago shows a man, not in uniform, with a rifle talking to police officers.

The person who posted the video said that this person had put a gun to the faces of the protesters and that they were asked to leave by the police.

This person seemed to also be wearing some kind of tactical or military wear, including pouches on their legs. In the video, they’re seen walking away from the protest.

The user pointed out that if the gunman wasn’t white, he would likely have been dealt with very differently, particularly given how much footage has emerged recently of the action that police forces have taken against protesters in the last few days.

Other Twitter users also pointed out that Illinois, the state that Chicago is in, is not an open carry state – so he was also breaking the law in front of police officers, who let him walk away.

Many people simply wanted to make clear that fact that he was allowed to walk away – despite bringing what looks like tactical gear and a rifle to a protest – was a demonstration of white privilege.