The news of the death of African-American man, George Floyd has sparked up many conversations globally, but this is, however, not the first time an incident like this has caused this much attention on social media. In the wake of his death from the assault and brutality he received from the hands of four racist police officers, many, globally have opened up conversations on racism and white supremacy in the world today.
Not a lot is known of George Floyd, other than he was a black man assaulted by the police in Minneapolis, to death as he constantly told the officers that he couldn’t breathe as one of them placed his knee on his neck, disrupting his airways.
RIP GEORGE FLOYD. KILLED IN COLD BLOOD BY A DIRTY RACIST COP IN MINNEAPOLIS. THE VIDEO IS DISGUSTING. THE COP LITERALLY STOLE THE LIFE OUT OF HIM WHILE GEORGE WAS BEGGING HIM, SAYING THAT HE “CANT BREATHE”. I DONT CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS, THIS IS FUCKED. pic.twitter.com/U5eQzfVLYF
— KSI (@KSIOlajidebt) May 27, 2020
While many are reacting to this sad news on social media with several hashtags, here are a few things about George Floyd we have come to know.
No person should wake up wondering if it will be the day that a police officer ends their life, yet people of color, particularly black people, in #US live with that painful reality. The Minneapolis police officer's actions have terrorized people who have already lost so much.
— Amnesty International (@amnesty) May 27, 2020
According to CNN, George was a 46-year-old suspect that was intercepted by the police following a report of an alleged forgery. While the description from an anonymous source suggests that George was the suspect, the police made move to detain him and things got escalated, because according to the report, George had resisted arrest. More details in the police report also suggest that Floyd was going through some medical distress, which led to his death.
This video shows a US police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in custody.
— M.S Khan ( Proud Indian ?? ) (@socialtoworker) May 27, 2020
However, footage showed the moment where one of the officers pinned him down and how he mouthed ‘I can’t breath’ on several occasions. Reacting to the report of Floyd’s death, family members are calling for the arrest of the officers involved and are demanding that they are charged with murder.
Floyd’s death is now being likened to a similar incident in New York, 2014, where a black man was intercepted by the police and in an attempt to restrain him, they chocked him to death.
Wow . America the great , just saw a Black young man have his Life ended. White police officer Kneeling on his Neck , for five to six minutes. Oh , by the way the man was handcuffed. Minneapolis must be proud. Bunch of Cowards . R.I.P. GEORGE, FLYOD ☘️???.
— Paul McGrath (@Paulmcgrath5) May 27, 2020
People took to the streets in Minneapolis to protest against the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed on Monday while being detained by police. More here: https://t.co/kbVk9J1x5E pic.twitter.com/0RaFv6F0zC
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 27, 2020
Aerial footage from yesterday’s protests in Minneapolis in response to police killing #GeorgeFloyd. This is probably the largest public US demonstration over police brutality since the onset of the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/kwlnkPIVsc
— Aaron L. Morrison (@aaronlmorrison) May 27, 2020
Following Floyd’s death, locals have taken to the streets of Minneapolis to stage peaceful protests as they call to an end all the violence that has been incited because of racism and police brutality. The protest saw enmass, the gatherings of black people and all who were against police brutality and who stood for justice and those who identified with the family of George Floyd.
On Twitter, #BlackLivesmatter, #ICan’tBreathe, #GeorgeFloyd, and a whole lot of other trends have been flowing for over the past 24 hours after the incident as many express their disappointment in what America has become.
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As a mother it is heartbreaking to see his man pleading to breath, talking to his mom, his angel beyond sad.
To add insult to injury the arrogance of this white man just because he has a uniform and gun doesn’t give him the rights to kill anyone, no excuse that his life was in danger, his hands are in his pocket total white supremacy arrogance. He needs to be charge with 1st degree murder.
Being that he is a bad apple not all COPS are ignorant like him, but anyone that feels that having a gun gives anyone the right to kill a person or an animal it is just cruelty and must be .