The murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis officers has now sparked international protests in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
On May 25, Floyd died after the violent arrest that took his life at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Chauvin has since been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter – but outrage has also sparked for the third-degree charge.
Over the weekend, protests spread across the country and made their way to Europe.
In Berlin, thousands gathered outside the US embassy reported. Officers reported there were more protestors than they expected but confirmed no arrests.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathering in front of the US Embassy in Berlin to protest the death of George Floyd pic.twitter.com/M1dBdJLbbB
— Carl Nasman (@CarlNasman) May 30, 2020
Organized Black Lives Matters protests also took off in London.
#blm✊🏻✊🏻 #blacklivesmatter protests have made it to London ✊🏻✊🏻 pic.twitter.com/XmrPWG5C2d
— Gary McQuiggin (@ggaaarrryyyy) May 30, 2020
In the midst of the pandemic, London came out to support the injustices and violence against Black Americans:
#BlackLivesMatter protest taking place in Peckham, London. ✊🏿 pic.twitter.com/ca5lH45XlJ
— Liam Rezende (@LiamRez) May 30, 2020
Even Canada took to the streets. However, there was also recent news of Canadian police throwing a woman from her 24th-floor balcony after being called to her home:
Canada is having a protest against the cops for throwing a woman off a balcony. pic.twitter.com/xbk3nQ2AZi
— Michael Patrick ☂️ (@M1cha31Patr1ck) May 30, 2020
On Friday, President Donald Trump said he spoke to George Floyd’s family following his untimely murder. But Floyd’s brother Philonise said the conversation went by “so fast.”
“He didn’t give me an opportunity to even speak,” Floyd told MSNBC. “It was hard. I was trying to talk to him, but he just kept, like, pushing me off, like ‘I don’t want to hear what you’re talking about.’
Source: Twitter
During an event at the White House, Trump told media he could tell the family was grieving the death.
“I spoke to members of the family, terrific people, and we’ll be reporting as time goes by,” Trump told reporters. “I just expressed my sorrow. That was a horrible thing to witness,” he continued. Adding that it “looked like there was no excuse for it.”
This comes after President Trump incited violence towards the protestors in Minnesota. Tweeting “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”
Floyd said he never begged for anything in his life, but when he spoke with Vice President Biden, he begged for justice.
“I asked him, could he please, please get justice for my brother,” Floyd recalled. “I need it. I do not want to see him on a shirt just like the other guys. Nobody deserved that. Black folk don’t deserve that. We’re all dying.”
According to Trump, he asked the Department of Justice to expedite the investigation into Floyd’s alleged murder, adding that “hopefully everything can fairly be taken care of.”
Floyd’s sister, Bridget, was interview by the TODAY show and said her faith in God is helping her stay afloat.
“I believe justice will be served,” said Bridgett. “I have enough faith to stand on it.”