On Monday the 25th of May, major cities across the United States and youth on social media erupted with sadness, anger and frustration in connection to the death of George Floyd. A diverse group of people around the world have taken a stands against police brutality and violence, especially against unarmed Black people.
George Floyd, a 46-year-old restaurant worker was arrested after using a $20 bill in a deli, which an employee identified as counterfeit. According to police records he 'physically resisted' arrest, even though surveillance cameras do not support these claims as he was handcuffed and placed on the ground by two white male police officers. In a video taken by a bystander, one of the officers began to press his knee on George'es neck for more than five minutes even though George repeatedly said: "Sir, I can't breathe, I can't breathe". After this, he lost consciousness and was later taken to a hospital and declared dead.
The four police officers involved have been fired from the Minneapolis Police Department and an investigation was recently opened by the FBI. Derek Chauvin, the officer who pressed his knee on George's neck was arrested for third-degree murder and manslaughter on Friday according to Hennepin Country Attorney Mike Freeman.
George Floyd death has led to a national and international outcry on social media and the streets, including days of protests in Minneapolis. It is still uncertain who caused the fires and looting among communities, but police responded using physical violence and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Amnesty International has responded that "In city after city, we are witnessing actions that could be considered unnecessary or excessive force". Rachel Ward, the National Director of Research at Amnesty International USA said in a statement that there should be an "immediate end to any such use of force and for law enforcement to ensure and protect the legal right to protest". According to the human rights group, the police tactics used can trigger escalating violence. Thus, police "should demilitarize their approach and engage in dialogue with protest organizers."
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump said that he asked the FBI to "expedite" the investigation on the matter. According to the brother of George, when President Donal Trump called the Floyd family on Friday, he was not given the "opportunity to even speak". In a statement, he adds "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'".
The United Nations Human Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet condemned the killing of George Floyd on Thursday. According to the chief, the United States must take 'serious action' to halt police killings of unarmed African Americans (28 May 2020), while also saying the event is the latest in a "long line of killings of unarmed African Americans by US police officers and members of the public". She was 'dismayed' that George Floyd's name was going to have to be added to the list including Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Michael Brown and many other unarmed African Americans who have died at the hands of police officers. Violence and destruction of property will not solve the issue of police brutality and enshrined discrimination in the United States. The United Nations High commissioner urges protestors to peacefully express their demand for justice and urges the police to not enflame the current situation even more with any further excessive force.
In order to resolve the issue of discrimination in our society, we must focus on our children who are a force for positive change. For far too long, our children have been targets of discrimination, especially black and Hispanic populations. UNICEF believes that it is children themselves who embody our humanities hopes for a better world and passionately believes that as we ensure the rights of all children, we support them to read their full potential and lead our path in ending a long vicious cycle of exclusion, intolerance and discrimination.
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