Hundreds gather at memorial service for George Floyd after days of protest

By : Editor

Date: 4 June 2020 9:20pm WAT

Memorial service for George Floyd, whose death at the hands of police sparked mass protests

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey(2ndR) and Amy Klobuchar(C) speak as they show their respects to the remains of George Floyd awaiting a memorial service in his honor on June 4, 2020, at North Central University's Frank J. Lindquist Sanctuary in Minneapolis, Minnesota. - On May 25, 2020, Floyd, a 46-year-old black man suspected of passing a counterfeit $20 bill, died in Minneapolis after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, pressed his knee to Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes. (Photo by kerem yucel / AFP)

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After days of anger and unrest, a memorial service for George Floyd held yesterday in Minneapolis, United States. The sombre event followed more than a week of upheaval around the United States.

Family members, friends, political and religious leaders and ordinary people moved by the death in police custody of Floyd gathered for the service, while people around the world watched on television and online.

The somber event followed more than a week of upheaval around the United States, prompted by the video of a police officer kneeling for almost nine minutes on the neck of Floyd, aged 46, who lay face down and handcuffed on the pavement, saying “I can’t breathe.”

In the Frank J. Lindquist Sanctuary at North Central University, an image above the dais bore a mural of Floyd’s face above the words “Now I can breathe.”

Behind Mr. Floyd’s gleaming bronze coffin, a choir and musicians filled the room with gospel music. Rev. Al Sharpton delivered a eulogy at the service, and Benjamin Crump, the civil rights lawyer representing Floyd’s family.

Meanwhile, the three former Minneapolis police officers who failed to intervene while Floyd was killed were expected to appear in court yesterday in a first public appearance since protests seized the nation.

The officers, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao, were charged on Wednesday with aiding and abetting second-degree murder, as well as aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Jail records show they are scheduled to appear in court at 1:45 p.m. U.S. time.