Minneapolis –
African-American George Floyd, killed in a brutal police operation, is believed to be a victim of the “pandemic of racism” in the United States, according to his family’s lawyer. He did not die of the new risk of the corona virus, but as a result of the systematic discrimination against black people “with which we are all too familiar in America”, said lawyer Benjamin Crump at a funeral service in Minneapolis on Thursday.
Members of George Floyd’s family stand in front of his coffin during the memorial service.
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Floyd’s brother Philonise said it was moving how many lives George had touched. “Everyone wants justice for George, we want justice for George, he’ll get it,” he said. “I loved my brother,” he said. At the end of the memorial service, the community stood silent for almost nine minutes – as long as a policeman had pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck.
Call for peaceful demos
Attorney Crump urged people in the United States to continue to demonstrate peacefully to achieve justice for Floyd and to speak out against police violence, discrimination and racism. This would make America a better country, a place of hope.
Floyd had died in a brutal arrest in the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Monday last week. A police officer had pressed his knee into the neck of the Floyd lying on the floor for almost nine minutes – despite all requests from the 46-year-old to let him breathe. The officer and three other police officers involved were released after the incident became known. They have since been arrested and charged.
Civil rights activist and preacher Al Sharpton said it was finally time for America to end discrimination against black people, especially in the police and judicial fields. “It’s time for us to get up in George’s name and say, take your knee off my neck,” said Sharpton.
Americans must continue to demonstrate peacefully to make real change, he said. “What happened to George Floyd happens every day in this country,” said Sharpton.
Floyd is due to be buried in Houston early next week. (dpa)
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