Humanities Homework Help

I’m working on a social science writing question and need an explanation to help me understand better.

The media plays a pivotal role in shaping perceptions of policing. While study after study shows that the media has a profound impact on our views of the police, the Internet and social media have created opportunities for citizens to voice their opinions in different ways. In some cases, however, the outrage can lead to protests, such as the protests currently happening nationwide in response to the lack of accountability when officers engage in misconduct and/or use excessive force. As demonstrators show increasing willingness to confront one another, occasionally with violence, striking the right balance between free speech and public safety has become a challenge for local police departments. We exist in a society where the public is not afraid to protest issues that matter to them. That being said, several high-profile protests have gone from peaceful protests to violent riots. To maintain control, police have been criticized for their aggressive responses, particularly with their use of tear gas, flash-bangs, and other methods to disperse people. 

1. Read THIS article on the “The Psychology of Riots”. Explain how the information can be used to explain and/or understand what is happening in current protests in the United States. 
2. Find two articles/stories from credible sources that depict good and bad responses to protests. The first article should describe a protest that occurred where the police response, in your opinion, was not appropriate. The protest does not have to be about something the police did per se; just that a protest occurred about any issue where officers responded to maintain order. The second article should describe a protest that occurred where the police response was, in your opinion, appropriate and respectful of citizens’ right to protest peacefully. For each article, provide a summary of why the protest was happening, what officers did to respond, and at least two reasons as to why you think the response was/was not appropriate. In other words, each article should have a summary of the facts, how officers responded, and at least two examples of what was not appropriate/escalated the situation, etc. for the first article, and at least two examples of worked to maintain order/what the police did right for the second article. Each example needs an explanation as to why you think the behavior was appropriate or not appropriate. Include a link to both articles. 
3. How should police maintain control when peaceful protests evolve into riots and/or looting? Provide at least two solutions every police departments adopt to reduce the chances of peaceful protests from becoming violent. Justify your responses by citing credible sources.

   https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/02/police-marching-with-protesters-george-floyd-reform