Monday, May 24, 2021

George Floyd’s family holds rally, march in brother’s memory

By MOHAMED IBRAHIM

PHOTOS 1 of 14

George Floyd's sister, Bridgett Floyd, addresses a rally in downtown Minneapolis, Sunday, May 23, 2021. At left is attorney Ben Crump. At right is the Rev. Al Sharpton. “It has been a long year. It has been a painful year,” Floyd's sister Bridgett told the crowd on Sunday.(Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Members of George Floyd’s family, and others who lost loved ones to police encounters, joined activists and citizens in Minneapolis for a march that was one of several events planned nationwide to mark the one-year anniversary of Floyd’s death.

Hundreds of people gathered for the rally Sunday in front of the courthouse in downtown Minneapolis where former police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted last month in Floyd’s death. Many carried signs with pictures of Floyd, Philando Castile and other Black men killed by police.

Amid chants of “no justice, no peace!” and “Say his name,” Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter watched alongside a dozen of Floyd’s family members as speakers called for justice for families of Black men slain by police.

“It has been a long year. It has been a painful year,” Floyd’s sister Bridgett told the crowd on Sunday. “It has been very frustrating for me and my family for our lives to change in the blink of an eye — I still don’t know why.”

Tuesday will mark one year since Floyd, who was Black, died after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin held his knee on Floyd’s neck as he pleaded for air. Floyd’s death sparked worldwide protests and calls for change in policing in the U.S. Chauvin, who is white, was convicted of murder and manslaughter in his death.

Speakers at the event included several local activists, Floyd family attorney Ben Crump, and the Rev. Al Sharpton, who called on the U.S. Senate to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The legislation, which would bring about the most significant changes to policing on the federal level, would ban the use of chokeholds and establish a national database of police misconduct.

“We want something coming out of Washington. We want something that will change federal law,” Sharpton said. “There’s been an adjournment on justice for too long. It’s time for them to vote and make this the law.”

The George Floyd Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where Floyd was born, was hosting a series of events in Minneapolis to honor Floyd on the anniversary.

The nonprofit was launched in Floyd’s honor by his siblings in September 2020 to help combat racial inequities in Black and brown communities.

Other events in Minneapolis ahead of the anniversary include a virtual “day of action” that encourages people to organize remotely and two panels with the families and other activists on Monday, followed by a community festival and candlelight vigil on Tuesday.

In New York on Sunday, Floyd’s brother, Terrence, attended a gathering in Brooklyn in his brother’s memory organized by Sharpton. Terrence Floyd told supporters not to forget his brother or victims of racist violence.

“If you keep my brother’s name ringing, you’re going to keep everybody else’s name ringing,” he said. “Breonna Taylor, Sean Bell, Ahmaud Arbery, you could go through the whole list. There’s a lot of them.”

Executive director Jacari Harris said the group has received donations from the Minneapolis Foundation, Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation and athletic shoe and apparel retailer Finish Line, among others. Despite large grants from corporations and other organizations, Harris the average donation to the nonprofit was $47.

Harris said the group has also funded an initiative in Fayetteville to help reduce homelessness, a scholarship program for law school students and an internship program at Texas A&M University, where Floyd went to school.

___

Associated Press writer Karen Matthews in New York contributed to this report. Mohamed Ibrahim is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

___

Find AP’s full coverage of the death of George Floyd: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd

Family, supporters march in US ahead of anniversary of George Floyd death

Issued on: 24/05/2021 -
The killing of George Floyd by a white policeman a year ago has prompted a reckoning on racial injustice in the United States Kerem Yucel AFP

Minneapolis (AFP)

Supporters and relatives of George Floyd marched Sunday ahead of the first anniversary of his murder by a white policeman, a killing that prompted a reckoning on racial injustice in the United States.

About 1,500 marchers in Minneapolis listened to speeches and joined members of the Floyd family and relatives of other Black people who died in encounters with the police.

Floyd, 46, was killed on May 25, 2020 by city police officer Derek Chauvin who knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes.  9:29

Chauvin, convicted by a jury of murder and manslaughter, is to be sentenced on June 25.

The rally opened with speeches outside the Hennepin County Government Center in central Minneapolis, where Chauvin stood trial.

"It has been a long year. It has been a painful year. It has been very frustrating for me and my family," Floyd's sister Bridgett Floyd told the gathering.#photo1

Floyd said her life changed "within a blink of an eye" when her brother died.

"I will stand and be the voice for him," she said. "I will stand and be the change for him."

Floyd's death sparked protests against racial injustice across the United States and around the world.

- 'Hopeful for change' -

Veteran campaigner Reverend Al Sharpton told the crowd that Floyd's killing was "one of the greatest disgraces in American history."

"What happened to George Floyd, as well as so many others, is driving change not only across America but the world," he said.

"They thought that they could get away with it, and you went to the streets, black and white, young and old, in the middle of the pandemic" to call for justice, Sharpton said.#photo2

"George Floyd should not go down in history as just someone with a knee on his neck, but as a man whose death helped 'break the neck' of police racism, brutality and illegality."

"It's important to show up to represent the Floyd family and the injustices that continue to spread in society," said Lenora McFarthing, 67, of St. Paul, Minnesota, a retired director from AT&T Wireless.

"You can't just sit home and watch TV and tweet and go on social media," she said. "You have to be visible. People are hopeful for change."

Frustrations have been running high in Minneapolis over mounting violence in the city.

Anger over a soaring homicide rate and other gun violence -- a recent three-week span saw three children hit by stray bullets -- has led to the formation of citizen patrols.#photo3

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey plans to add 200 officers to the city's thinned police ranks, and has called for more aid from outside law enforcement agencies.

He supports community-driven efforts, including citizen patrols.

"Minneapolis police officers will continue to rush into harm's way to save lives," Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said after the latest shootings Saturday.

"Our greatest strength is when we all work together to keep our city safe."

© 2021 AFP


George Floyd rally marks a year since murder


Activists and family members met ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Black man's murder at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.



Thousands rallied to mark a year since the death of Black man George Floyd by a white police officer

Around 1,500 people rallied in Minneapolis in the US on Sunday ahead of the one-year anniversary of Black man George Floyd's death.

Tuesday will mark 365 days since the unarmed 46-year-old Floyd was killed when former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin held his knee on Floyd's neck for around nine minutes.

Chauvin was found guilty of murder and the incident reignited the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement as protests took place around the world.

Members of Floyd's family, activists and other families of victims of police violence joined citizens in front of the courthouse in downtown Minneapolis where the Chauvin trial concluded a month ago.

Toshira Garraway Allen, founder of Families Supporting Families Against Police Violence, and others raised a fist onstage during the 'One Year, What's Changed?' rally

Many carrying signs with pictures of Floyd, Philando Castile and other Black people killed by police.

The crowds shouted: "no justice, no peace!" and "Say his name" — chants linked to the BLM movement.
'It has been a painful year,' says Floyd's sister

Several local activists, members of Floyd's family and family attorney Ben Crump spoke at the event.

Floyd's sister Bridgett told the crowd on Sunday, "It has been a long year. It has been a painful year."

"I will stand and be the voice for him," she said. "I will stand and be the change for him."


Bridgett Floyd told a crowd that she will 'stand by' her brother


Veteran campaigner Reverend Al Sharpton told the crowd that Floyd's killing was "one of the greatest disgraces in American history."

"What happened to George Floyd, as well as so many others, is driving change not only across America but the world," he said.

"They thought that they could get away with it, and you went to the streets, Black and white, young and old, in the middle of the pandemic" to call for justice, Sharpton said.
Further events honoring George Floyd

In New York on Sunday, Floyd's brother Terrence attended a Brooklyn gathering in his brother's memory organized by Sharpton. He asked supporters to keep the name of his brother "ringing" for other victims of police violence. "Breonna Taylor, Sean Bell, Ahmaud Arbery, you could go through the whole list. There's a lot of them."



Several events are planned in the run-up to the anniversary of George Floyd's murder on Tuesday

Other events in Minneapolis ahead of the anniversary of George Floyd's death include a virtual "day of action" that encourages people to organize remotely. Two panels with Floyd family members and other activists are planned for Monday. On Tuesday, there will be a community festival and candlelight vigil.

No comments:

Post a Comment