The Killing of George Floyd

In Minneapolis, on May 25, 2020, Memorial Day, at around 8:00 p.m. CDT, Minneapolis police responded to a forgery call on Chicago Avenue South, located south of downtown Minneapolis. George Floyd, an African-American man, was accused of allegedly using a forged $20 bill at a grocery store. According to the police, Floyd was in a car and seemed to be “under the influence,” and he “physically resisted” when ordered to exit the vehicle. After getting him into handcuffs, officers called for an ambulance as he “appeared to be suffering medical distress.” No weapons were used during the arrest by either party.

The arrest was filmed by a bystander called Darnella Frazier and posted online, which went viral. Parts of the video can be seen by clicking here. Below is a picture of the arrest taken from the video:

The videos debunk the police’s claim that Floyd was resisting, as it can be clearly seen that Floyd did not resist the police in any way. Floyd can be heard pleading with the police to stop trying to kill him. Bystanders try to ask the police officer, later identified as Derek Chauvin, to stop by to no avail. The officer only removes his knee by the time medics arrive on the scene, at which point Floyd is already unresponsive. Floyd was transferred to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. A male witness said that the officer “just really killed” him. In total, the officer had knelt on Floyd’s neck for over seven minutes, four of which Floyd stopped moving.

The officer, along with three others that were present, were fired the next day, on May 26, and the FBI declared later that day that they would be investigating the case. On May 28, the Department of Justice, along with the FBI, said that the case was “a top priority.” The FBI is currently investigating whether or not the police officers broke federal law.

In nearby St. Paul, riots also broke out and looting occurred. The protests also spread to Los Angeles, where a large number of protesters blocked the U.S. 101 highway, a major LA thoroughfare, that ran through downtown, on May 27. Smaller-scale protests also broke out in Memphis, TN. Police in various cities had to use tear gas, chemical irritants, rubber bullets, and sandbag rounds in order to disperse the crowd. People used slogans such as “Black lives matter” and “Justice for George.”

Update at 12:44 a.m. CDT (early morning of May 29): Protesters have set Minneapolis’s Third Precinct police station on fire, and the looting of stores, arson, etc. continues. The Minnesota National Guard has said that they would deploy 500 troops to Minneapolis. President Trump has also declared on Twitter that “thugs” were “dishonoring the memory of George Floyd,” and that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” A state of emergency is also in effect in Minnesota. Shots were also fired in a protest in Louisville, Ky., as protests continue to escalate there. The City of Minneapolis urged people near the aforementioned burning police station to retreat for fear that the building will explode due to severed gas lines.

Floyd’s family has demanded that the police officers responsible be charged with murder. The Minneapolis mayor, among many others, has said that “being black shouldn’t be a death sentence in America.” He said that he agreed it was murder. The mayor also highlighted the racial nature of Floyd’s death, saying that if a person of color had done what the police officer did, they would’ve already been behind bars by now. Many people also agree with the fact that should Floyd have been white, he would not have been treated in the same way as he had been. President Trump and Joe Biden have all called for investigations into the case, among many other politicians. Celebrities have also expressed outrage at the incident.

It was also later found that 18 complaints had been filed against Chauvin, the officer responsible for the killing.

Evidently, Floyd’s death has been very shocking to many. It highlights a stark racial divide between white and African-Americans that still persists to this very day.