'I can't breathe'- George Floyd

Help out. Together, we can win. Donate to this post.. All money goes to the 'black lives matter' campaign.

On May 26 Officer Derek Chauvin and three others fired after the death of George Floyd, a 46- year- old black man after a deli employee calls 911 and accuses Mr. Floyd of buying cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 dollars. When the squad car arrived seventeen minutes later, Mr. Floyd was lying unconscious beneath three officers, showing no signs of life.

After watching security footage and hearing what witnesses said, the New York times reconstructed a detailed official document explaining the minutes leading to Mr. Floyds death.

The video which was published to the public, shows the Minneapolis Police officers taking illegal and violent actions (according to the Minneapolis Police Department Policies) towards the situation. These actions lead to Mr. Floyd unable to breath, even as he and onlookers called for help.

The day after the event, all four officers who were seen in the episode were fired including Derek Chauvin who later was arrested for third degree murder. Derek Chauvin who was white- skinned, was clearly seen on tape pinning Mr. Floyd to the ground with his knee. He pinned him down for a total of 8 minutes and 46 seconds even after Mr. Floyd was unresponsive. Mr. Chauvin denied to remove his knee even after Mr. Floyd screamed for air.

Currently, Mr. Chauvin is being charged with third degree murder which means it was an accident but the public think otherwise.

After citizens watched the situation take place, the video was reposted all of the internet. Celebrities and citizens began to protest among the actions in hope of the extension of Mr. Chauvin’s prison sentence. Such celebrities included Ariana Grande, Timothée Chalamat and Tessa Thompson who all attended the protests against Derek Chauvin. Petitions began and so did fundraisers. Trends in apps like TikTok and Instagram began to emerge.

In order to avoid protests, curfews were issued to different states. Soon police forces started to use metal bullets covered in rubber to keep people away from the building. Police forces also used tear gas and pepper spray in hope of keeping people away from the buildings. Although, people were hurt with these tactics, it also fueled the determination of some.

In my eyes It seems that people have been awaked by these actions, social media is now covered with pictures and videos about this action. If I (as a brown person) did the same thing and it was recorded on tape, I would be charged more strictly, we wouldn’t call it an “accident”, just because Derek Chauvin is white and a cop he gets away easily. This is white privilege. People will rise. You can try to stop us, but this time we will not back down. We are public and we control the world, not you. Justice will be served.

To help out, you can sign this petition and even donate;

- https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd

Bibliography:

- Sign the Petition (2020). Available at: https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd (Accessed: 3 June 2020).

- (2020) Google.com. Available at: https://www.google.com/search?q=i+cant+breathe+&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjQwbij3JnqAhVL0IUKHQv5DCwQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=i+cant+breathe+&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAA6BAgjECc6BAgAEEM6BQgAELEDOgcIIxDqAhAnOgcIABCxAxBDUPajAVjnwQFgz8cBaAFwAHgAgAGxAYgB6BSSAQQwLjE2mAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWewAQo&sclient=img&ei=2OTyXtD1NMuglwSL8rPgAg&bih=689&biw=1280#imgrc=rLqIaDAGAaQUcM (Accessed: 24 June 2020).

- Facing Protests Over Use of Force, Police Respond With More Force (2020). Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/police-tactics-floyd-protests.html (Accessed: 3 June 2020).

- Jamie Foxx, Ariana Grande, and more celebrities join protests after George Floyd's death (2020). Available at: https://ew.com/celebrity/ariana-grande-timothee-chalamet-protests-george-floyd/ (Accessed: 3 June 2020).

- How Did George Floyd Die? Here’s What We Know (2020). Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/article/george-floyd-autopsy-michael-baden.html (Accessed: 3 June 2020).

- 8 Minutes and 46 Seconds: How George Floyd Was Killed in Police Custody (2020). Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/george-floyd-investigation.html#:~:text=Floyd's%20death%20triggered%20major%20protests,charged%20with%20murder%20and%20manslaughter. (Accessed: 3 June 2020).

- Prominent Atlanta attorney hired to represent mother of George Floyd’s 6-year-old (2020). Available at: https://www.ajc.com/news/prominent-atlanta-civil-rights-attorney-hired-represent-mother-george-floyd-year-old/0wNU0voUpOgAlRv2gNAQUP/#:~:text=Two%20Atlanta%2Dbased%20attorneys%20have,6%2Dyear%2Dold%20child. (Accessed: 3 June 2020).

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