Supporters and loved ones of George Floyd marched in Minneapolis on Sunday (May 23) as the one-year anniversary of his death under the knee of a white city police officer approached, a case that has sparked outrage around the world and provoked an anti-racist outburst in the United States.
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About 1,500 people marched in the northern US metropolis and joined Floyd family members and relatives of other black people who died in confrontations with police.
The rally began with speeches outside the building where Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder on April 20. The former police officer, now imprisoned, will be fixed on his sentence on June 25.
“A change in the world”
“It’s been a long year. It has been a painful year. It was very frustrating for me and for my family”said Bridgett Floyd, Floyd’s sister. Her life, she says, has changed ” in the blink of an eye “ when his brother died. “I will rise and be the change for him”she added.
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“What happened to George Floyd, along with so many others, is causing change not only across America but around the world”seasoned activist Reverend Al Sharpton told the crowd, calling the killing a “one of the greatest disgraces in American history”.
George Floyd, 46, was killed on May 25, 2020 in Minneapolis during his arrest by four police officers who suspected him of having sold a counterfeit 20 dollar bill. To subdue him, they handcuffed him and put him face down on the ground. White policeman Derek Chauvin then knelt on his neck, maintaining his pressure for almost ten minutes.
Violence
A year later, Minneapolis is still marked by violence and faced with an outbreak of homicides and armed attacks – three children were recently injured by stray bullets – residents of the city have organized themselves into citizen patrols.
Mayor Jacob Frey, who plans to create 200 additional police stations, said he supports public initiatives, including citizen patrols.
“Our greatest strength is when we all work together to keep our city safe”local police chief Medaria Arradondo said on Saturday, after another shooting that left two people dead.