George Floyd: Part 2 The Aftermath

Since the death of George Floyd, there have been numerous memorials for him and remembrance gatherings. Many signs, gifts, flowers, and candles were put in front of the Cup Foods store where Floyd was killed to pay their respect and show love. Thankfully, the Minneapolis police department has vowed to not disrupt or touch anything left there for Floyd. Many streets and empty buildings have now become a mirror image of Floyd with beautiful art of him or his name to help spread this news and help it get more people’s attention. People from all across the world came to attend these memorials to show their respect, not only to George Floyd but to all black lives. 

The first memorial service was held in Minneapolis at North Central University. As this tragic news reached across the U.S. people began to see a bigger meaning behind it. Many have been questioning why this happened and what the reasons are for the police officer’s choices.

We can start to see the racial injustice, inequality, and civil right movements be shown again from George Floyd being killed. Because of his death, there have been thousands of people swarming the streets to support the BLM (Black Lives Matter) Movement. More people are showing their support and being active in a cause that has been going on since we could remember. 

Protests in cities from Minneapolis, Atlanta, Houston, Portland, and many more were turned into riots. The scene we started with at first was a peaceful one and we wanted it to stay that way, but it didn’t stay that way for long.Since June 8, 2020 there have been at least 19 deaths from these protests and over 14,000 people arrested. 

The protests began in Minneapolis, on May 26, just one day after Floyd was killed. BLM supporters have seen this as a way to speak up, and speak out. They have done so in many ways and the most common way is by peacefully protesting. Wanting to share this with everyone and let them know what they truly stand for. It’s not violence or hatred towards others and as they continue to move forward in their movement they have to be careful about what they do. While not all the protests have been controlled, the way the police have handled the situation has not been the safest either. Rioters have vandalized police vehicles, started fires, robbed stores, wrecked buildings, and much more. According to many supporters, this is not the outcome we wanted. Police have taken this movement possibly as a free-for all in a way. Police officers have tear gassed protesters, peaceful and not, shot people, burned down buildings, shoved and beaten people, and most of all, watched all this happen and allegedly did nothing. 

Striking down the freedom for the people and not seeking the help the movement needs from them. 

Now, we may wonder why these protests may have gone so badly or how they got violent, and it can be hard to find those answers. People grew tired of waiting, they didn’t feel heard, and they didn’t want to live in fear, wondering if they were going to get killed next. Now, that doesn’t give the right to destroy everything in their pathway, but their anger was wanted to be shown. 

The power of the protests and movements have grown to become something much bigger in the eyes of the world. Social injustice, racism, inequality, all have been going on for a long time and the issue has never stopped, we just get blinded by other things and tend to ignore it. But this time around I think we all can agree that it feels different. Bigger. 

These protests for George Floyd and BLM have reached all 50 states and world-wide. They have touched so many people’s lives changing for the better and demanding of change. Big cities, small towns, they have all grown from this and have come together to show the love they have for one another, no matter the color of their skin, religion, sexuality, or anything else.

So, that’s where we have to go back and really see what we are protesting about overall, it’s not just about George Floyd anymore, it’s about all black lives and human rights altogether.