Protests and riots continue to break out in the city of Minneapolis as locals take to the streets to protest the death of 46-year-old George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
Floyd died on Monday after being handcuffed by Minneapolis police and held to the ground despite begging police to stop. The security guard was later pronounced dead in hospital.
After a video showing an officer with his knee on Floyd’s neck for at least eight minutes went viral on social media, people across the world expressed outrage over yet another black man’s death within police custody.
As cries grew across social media for the four officers involved to be arrested, the hashtag #JusticeForFloyd began trending alongside images and artwork of Floyd, along with the video of Floyd being choked as he desperately told police, “I can’t breathe. My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Everything hurts. They’re going to kill me.”
Now, several celebrities have spoken out in wake of Floyd’s tragic death, with director and activist Ava DuVernay declaring that something must be done to stop these ongoing injustices.
“You deserved your breath, your dignity, your life,” she began. “Not to die on the street, murdered by a white cop’s knee on your neck. You deserve our tears, our prayers, our rage, our action. We must act — for you — and for all of those [where] no cameras are present. We must.”
Star Wars actor John Boyega, who condemned racism in a passionate Instagram Live video earlier this week, also posted to Twitter with his feelings over Floyd’s death.
“This just burns,” he wrote. “Seems to be a never-ending cycle. The murderers need to be charged severely. Even in the face of death, this man was given zero empathy.”
Lizzo posted an emotional video addressing the event, saying over Instagram:
“We have an extremely, inherently racist and corrupt police system. Now I’m not saying that every police officer is a racist person and a murderer but I am saying that at the core of the police organisation there is a system of racism and corruption,” she said.
Other celebrities who spoke out on social media condemning systemic police brutality included LeBron James, Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion, Lizzo, Harry Styles, Cardi B, Khalid, and many more.
Riots continue in Minneapolis in protest of George Floyd’s death
Meanwhile, Minneapolis has erupted into chaos and violence, with a third day of riots seeing police stations, stores and cars set ablaze as spectators documented the apocalyptic scenes on social media and live television.
Protesters have been seen taking on outnumbered police officers, throwing bricks at officers as they fired tear gas, stun grenades and capsicum spray on looters and rioters.
Hard to believe what I’m seeing pic.twitter.com/h1eGgrHpkn
— Max Nesterak (@maxnesterak) May 29, 2020
https://twitter.com/BreakingNLive2/status/1266230854113583112
On Wednesday, the mayor of Minneapolis said that Floyd’s death should not have happened and agreed with calls for the officers involved to be arrested.
If most people, particularly people of color, had done what a police officer did late Monday, they’d already be behind bars.
That’s why today I’m calling on Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman to charge the arresting officer in this case.
— Jacob Frey (@Jacob_Frey) May 27, 2020
In a press conference, Frey said “For five minutes we watched as a white officer pressed his knee to the neck of a black man. For five minutes. This officer failed in the most basic human sense.”
What’s next?
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has ensured that both state and federal investigators are currently looking into the incident, saying it was essential that the investigation was thorough, fair and just.
“It starts with a fact-based investigation. And then, an evaluation of whether criminal statutes have been violated. And that is the procedure that we should follow.”
Ellison then asked protestors throughout the city to be safe amid the ongoing riots, saying: “I want to urge people who want to demonstrate to use proper protocols for safety. We are still in the middle of a pandemic.”
Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington also added that the investigation will be “done right”.
“We will make sure this is not an investigation that lags. Because we know the public and the community, and all of you want to know what happened that fateful day. It will be an investigation that’s done right. This will not be an investigation that we’re going to cut any corners.”
