John --
“I cannot breathe.”
Those were some of the last words George Floyd ever said.
Shortly after pleading for his own breath, he died under the weight of the Minneapolis police officer kneeling on his neck, at the hands of state-sanctioned violence.
On Monday, George Floyd was murdered by police on the streets of Minneapolis -- where a white police officer viciously pinned his neck down on the street as George and many onlookers begged for release.
Even as he grew weak and stopped moving, the officer continued to brutally force him down -- while his fellow officer cruelly stood by and watched as George Floyd was executed. Let’s be very clear:
George Floyd was killed by a police officer but he was murdered by white supremacy.
George Floyd was a human being who deserved to live -- but the Minneapolis police murdered him in cold blood. Now, we must rise up, #SayHisName, and fight for the justice he and his family deserve. Please join us in sharing George Floyd’s story and honoring his memory.
So far, four officers have been fired over George’s death. We will watch to see if they will be arrested, charged, and called to answer for their cold-blooded murder.
There is too much of this. Too much trauma. Too much mourning. Too many hashtags. Too often healing these wounds over and over again.
Once again, we mourn one of our brothers lost to racist police brutality. We pray for another family that had to bury a loved one. We say goodbye to another soul murdered.
George Floyd couldn’t breathe.
None of us can.
Because as long as white supremacy is protected, Black lives will continue to be targeted for demise.
We are tired, but we will not give up. We must continue our fight until we can live without fear -- and that starts with getting justice for George Floyd. Together, we honor his memory, pray for his family, and #SayHisName by sharing his story.
We have all experienced so much trauma even in the midst of a pandemic, we urge you to take care of yourself and your loved ones and take time to heal.
In love and solidarity,
Black Lives Matter Global Network
