Floyd Death Sparks Worldwide Protests

By Minhaj Gumma, News Editor

Courtesy of AND OVER LEADER

On Monday, May 25, 46-year-old George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota after police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying on the street.

Large demonstrations have since erupted in all 50 states across the nation, along with 18 foreign countries, in response to what many see as yet another act of police brutality against an unarmed black man. These gatherings included demonstrations in our nation’s capital.

“Thousands gathered at different spots around (Washington D.C.) in the early afternoon, and started to converge into one large demonstration,” journalist for “The Guardian” Lauren Aratani wrote. “Hundreds of protestors kneeled for nine minutes outside a Senate office building, in homage to Floyd.”

Protests unfolded all over the country, with individuals marching, chanting, and demanding justice for Floyd. Though protests were initially planned to be peaceful, the media has shown images of police officers utilizing tear gas as well as rubber bullets directed at protestors kneeling with their hands in the air.

The supposed injustice and brutality enforced by police repopularized the acronym ACAB (or All Cops Are Bastards): a phrase seen on signs and banners at protests across the world.

On May 31, a curfew was set for Orange County from 6 P.M. til 6 A.M. after multiple suspected nights of protests.

Businesses were not safe, as many individuals, including police officers and outside agitators, took this time as an opportunity to damage and loot stores for personal gain.

The movement has taken to social media as protestors seek to spread awareness as they use the different online platforms to reach a wider audience and educate others about instances of police brutality and the need for change.

Though many find the protests and riots to be performative to the actual cause and goal of the Black Lives Matter movement, several developing changes have been made.

In just one week, Derek Chauvin’s charge of third degree murder has been increased to second degree murder. The three additional officers involved were also charged for their role in the death of Floyd.

Additionally, protests seemingly have led to the reopening of a case for Breonna Taylor: a black woman who was shot to death by police officers in her own home shortly after midnight on Friday, March 13.