Are the Mayors responsible?

Any active cop is going to have complaints in their jacket.

How many of those complaints were sustained upon investigation?

The unions can do a lot but they cannot prevent a cop from being disciplined if there’s a valid complaint against them.

Why should that matter? There’s more than one way to hold them accountable.

Facts aren’t welcome in these discussions.

True, and with all facts prior to and leading up to Floyd’s death it’s going to come out in trial.
Regardless of the “social injustice”, “racial inequality” and “excessive force directed at black men” or whatever protest mantra du jour; at trial the truth will still be the truth no matter who gets their feelings hurt. I wish I could be there,
I love hearing prosecutors embellish and sensationalize accusations and defense lawyers manipulate witnesses!

They didn’t begin because cops stood down. Nothing in that article actually supports your correlative point. They were ongoing and cops stood down. It was not just unfortunate but criminal on the part of the mayor to do that imo.