a ceremony, with 8 minutes 46 seconds of silence

A ceremony in memory of George Floyd, whose death under the knee of a white policeman unleashed a deep wave of anger across the United States, took place on Thursday in Minneapolis after a quieter night in the country than previous ones.

“You changed the world George“: The American leader of the civil rights Al Sharpton delivered Thursday during a ceremony in homage to George Floyd a moving eulogy funeral, with the political accents tinted with sadness but also of hope for a better world, with the promise of”continue the fight“.

Family, religious or political leaders and celebrities gathered at the North Central Christian University of Minneapolis to honor the memory of this African-American, whose death at the age of 46 under the knee of a white police officer on May 25 triggered a deep wave of anger across the United States.

The ceremony, in the presence of black personalities like rapper T.I. or comic Kevin Hart, began with a moving interpretation of “amazing Grace“after the mayor, white, of Minneapolis knelt in tears before the coffin.

It was notably marked by a period of silence of 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the time during which the police officer Derek Chauvin remained kneeling on the neck of George Floyd despite his pleas.

Speaking, the brother of the deceased, Philonise Floyd, denounced with applause “the pandemic of racism and discrimination“who won.

Reverend Al Sharpton, a figure in the civil rights movement, delivered a very political eulogy.

“George Floyd should not be among the dead. He did not die from a common health problem. He died of a common dysfunction of the American justice system“he said, seeing in the knee that crushed George Floyd’s neck the symbol of African American oppression in the United States since the time of slavery.

“What happened to Floyd happens every day in this country, in education, in health care and in all aspects of American life. It’s time for us to stand up in tribute to George and say ‘Take your knees from our necks“, he proclaimed, calling on the police to report.

A Donald Trump, who had manu militari evacuated the surroundings of the White House Monday evening to pose in front of a church, bible in hand, the Baptist pastor of 65 years advised “open the bible“.

“I’ve been preaching since I was a kid, and I’ve never seen anyone hold a bible like that, but let’s move on“, he said.

Another ceremony is scheduled for Saturday in North Carolina, before the funeral on Monday in Houston, Texas.

Events around the world

Demonstrations sometimes degenerating into looting and violence took place daily throughout the country to denounce police brutality, racism and social inequalities exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

As the emotion crossed the borders of the United States, several large American cities, from Los Angeles to New York, while passing by the federal capital, Washington, decreed night curfews to try to contain the overflows.

Police have made a total of nearly 10,000 arrests in the country in recent days, according to an estimate reported by American media.

But after more than a week of violence, the night from Wednesday to Thursday turned out to be quieter overall, with no major incidents to be regretted, after the death of George Floyd was reclassified as “murder” and that the three other police officers involved in his arrest were charged.

–