He has found his final rest, the movement triggered by his death has not: The brutally killed African American George Floyd was buried. At the funeral service it became clear that the fight against racism and police violence should continue. The anger is great.
Houston (AP) - With fiery appeals against racism and police violence, relatives and guests of honor have said goodbye to the killed African American at the funeral service for George Floyd.
After the emotional ceremony that was broadcast live in a church in Houston, Texas, Floyd was buried privately in the neighboring town of Pearland. The coffin was carried on the last mile in a white horse-drawn carriage. The arrival of the funeral procession at the cemetery was followed by numerous people on the roadside.
THE FIGHT GOES ON
"If we put you to rest today, the movement won't rest until we get justice. Until we have a standard of justice," prominent civil rights activist Al Sharpton said at the funeral service to relatives, friends and other guests. "We will continue to fight." He demanded that the perpetrators be held responsible. "Until we know that the price of a black life is the same as the price of a white life, we will experience these situations over and over again."
BIDEN WANT TO DONATE
The designated Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden called in a video message broadcast in the church to overcome racism. America has no choice but to do better in the future. "We can heal this nation's wounds," said Biden. Too many black people in the US "wake up and know that they can lose their lives simply by living their lives," complained Biden. "If George Floyd finds justice, we will really be on our way to racial justice in America."
The ex-US vice president had personally traveled to Houston the day before the funeral to meet family members of Floyd, including his six-year-old daughter Gianna. He received a lot of applause from the mourners for his video message.
THE PRESIDENT'S ABSENCE
However, US President Donald Trump did not address the funeral on Tuesday. Instead, he attacked an injured demonstrator via Twitter. Trump has condemned Floyd's death several times. However, he is accused of not positioning himself clearly against racism and of not showing enough understanding for the anger about discrimination and injustice in the country.
Trump was nevertheless present at the funeral service - albeit indirectly. Floyd's niece Brooke Williams said at the service, "No more hate crimes, please. Someone said," Make America Great Again. "But when was America ever great?" "Making America Great Again" was Trump's central 2016 campaign slogan.
ONE FOR ALL
Civil rights activist Sharpton has made allegations against the US president. "He attacked China for human rights," he said. "What about George Floyd's human right?" Sharpton criticized Trump threatening to use the military against the protests following Floyd's death, "but he doesn't say a word over eight minutes and 46 seconds." A white policeman in Minneapolis had been pushing his knee into the neck of Floyd, who had died. "Your country will always remember your name," said Sharpton. "Because your neck was one that represented all of us, and how you suffered represented our suffering."
THE BRUTAL POLICE DEVICE
Floyd's death in the police operation more than two weeks ago on May 25 triggered mass protests against systematic racism and police violence across the country and around the world. The protests continue. A white police officer had pressed his knee into the neck of the man lying on the floor for almost nine minutes, despite repeated requests to let him breathe. The police officer and three colleagues involved in the operation were released, arrested and charged. Floyd was arrested on suspicion of paying with a false $ 20 bill.
"WE WILL BREATH"
As early as Monday, thousands had fled to Floyd's body in the Houston church to say goodbye. Floyd had grown up in the Texas metropolis. During the funeral service, two pictures of Floyd were on the stage, showing him with angel wings and a halo. An artist painted another portrait of him during the ceremony accompanied by gospel music. When the coffin was carried out of the church, many of those present raised their fists as a sign of the fight against racism. Outside the church, one person held up a poster that read "We will breathe" based on Floyd's words before his death. He had said: "I can't breathe."
THE DESIRE FOR REFORM
Floyd's death has triggered not only mass protests around the world, but also a debate over police reform in the United States. The Mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner, announced a ban on strangleholdings and other measures against police violence at the funeral service for Floyd. "In this city, we will demand de-escalation. In this city, you will have to give a warning before you shoot," said Turner. "In this city you have an obligation to intervene."