Latest news with #AngelaHarrelson
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Remembering George Floyd, Five Years After His Death
Commemorations were held across the U.S. to mark five years since George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis, sparking global protests. In Houston, Floyd's hometown, his family gathered near his grave for a memorial service led by Rev Al Sharpton. Meanwhile, Minneapolis hosted a gospel concert and church service as part of its annual Rise and Remember Festival at George Floyd Square. Floyd's aunt, Angela Harrelson, urged the public to keep fighting for justice and reform, saying the movement must continue. Floyd was murdered in 2020 by Officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on his neck for over nine minutes during an arrest.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Thousands remember George Floyd on fifth anniversary of death
Americans across the country remembered George Floyd five years after he was killed by police, with special gatherings in the city where he grew up and the one where he died. The murder of Floyd, a black man, in Minneapolis by police officer Derek Chauvin led to nationwide protests against racism and police brutality. On Sunday, Floyd's family gathered in their hometown of Houston near Floyd's gravesite for a service led by the Rev Al Sharpton, while Minneapolis held several commemorations. What many hailed as a national "reckoning" with racism after Floyd's death, though, seems to be fading as President Donald Trump starts to roll back police reforms in Minneapolis and other cities. The Associated Press reported that thousands of people, including police reform and civil-rights activists, gathered on Sunday for the anniversary. In Minneapolis, a morning church service and evening gospel concert were part of events to mark the events of 25 March 2020, at the annual Rise and Remember Festival in George Floyd Square, the intersection where Floyd was murdered and which has since been named to honour him. "Now is the time for the people to rise up and continue the good work we started," Angela Harrelson, Floyd's aunt and co-chair of the Rise and Remember nonprofit, said in a statement about the festival. In Houston, where Floyd grew up and where he is buried, local organisations held poetry sessions, musical performances and speeches by local pastors. Rev Sharpton, a civil rights leader, held a press conference and memorial service with Floyd's family, as well as elected officials and friends. They called for changes begun in the wake of Floyd's to continue, especially pushing President Donald Trump to keep up federal police reform agreements. Floyd was murdered in 2020 during a police arrest in Minneapolis when Chauvin, a white police officer, stood on his neck for more than nine minutes. The killing - captured on a bystander's phone camera - sparked global outrage and a wave of demonstrations against racial injustice and police use of force. Chauvin has been serving a 22-year prison sentence after he was convicted of murdering the 46-year-old. Other officers were convicted for failing to intervene in the killing. In a post on X, Rev Sharpton said Floyd's death had "forced a long overdue reckoning with systemic racism and galvanized millions to take to the streets in protest". "The conviction of the officer responsible was a rare step toward justice, but our work is far from over," he said. In the wake of Floyd's death, under former President Joe Biden, the justice department opened civil investigations into several local law enforcement agencies, including Minneapolis, Louisville, Phoenix and Lexington, Mississippi, where investigators found evidence of systemic police misconduct. The department reached agreements with both the Louisville and Minneapolis police departments that included oversight measures like enhanced training, accountability, and improved data collection of police activity. But last Wednesday, the Trump administration said those findings relied on "flawed methodologies and incomplete data". Administration officials said the agreement were "handcuffing" local police departments. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, though, said this week that his city would still "comply with every sentence, of every paragraph, of the 169-page consent decree that we signed this year". Since returning to office, Trump has also taken aim at Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI) measures intended to reduce racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination. Early in his tenure, Trump signed an executive order to eliminate DEI policies in the federal government, some of which were the result of protests during what is often called "Black Lives Matter Summer", held after the deaths of Floyd and others, Critics including Trump say such programmes can themselves be discriminatory. Addressing West Point on Saturday, he said that in ending DEI in the military the administration was "getting rid of the distractions" and "focusing our military on its core mission". Meanwhile, the mayor of Washington, Muriel Bowser, removed Black Lives Matter Plaza, a strip of road that was emblazoned with the phrase near the White House. This week, a famous mural of Floyd in Houston was destroyed as part of a building demolition, as well, according to Houston Public Media. Recent surveys suggest Americans believe there have been few improvements for the lives of black people in the US five years after Floyd's passing, including a May survey from Pew Research Center in which 72% of participants said there had been no meaningful changes. The number of Americans expressing support for the Black Lives Matter movement has also fallen by 15% since June 2020, the same survey suggests. Trump administration to scrap police reform measures in some US cities Chauvin sentenced for violating George Floyd's rights Minneapolis police 'engaged in pattern of racism'
BBC News
25-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Americans remember George Floyd on fifth anniversary of his death
Americans across the country are remembering George Floyd five years after he was killed by police, with special gatherings in the city where he grew up and the one where he murder of Floyd, a black man, in Minneapolis by police officer Derek Chauvin led to nationwide protests against racism and police brutality. On Sunday, Floyd's family gathered in their hometown of Houston near Floyd's gravesite for an event led by the Rev. Al Sharpton, while Minneapolis held several many hailed as a national "reckoning" with racism after Floyd's death, though, seems to be fading as President Donald Trump starts to roll back police reforms in Minneapolis and other cities. In Minneapolis, community members planned a morning church service, a candlelight vigil and an evening gospel concert on Sunday to remember Floyd. The events were a part of the annual Rise and Remember Festival taking place in George Floyd Square, the intersection where Floyd was murdered and which has since been named to honour him. "Now is the time for the people to rise up and continue the good work we started," Angela Harrelson, Floyd's aunt and co-chair of the Rise and Remember nonprofit, said in a statement about the festival. In Houston, where Floyd grew up and where he is buried, local organisations planned poetry sessions, musical performances and speeches by local was murdered in 2020 during a police arrest in Minneapolis when Chauvin, a white police officer, stood on his neck for more than nine minutes. The killing - captured on a bystander's phone camera - sparked global outrage and a wave of demonstrations against racial injustice and police use of has been serving a 22-year prison sentence after he was convicted of murdering the 46-year-old. Other officers were convicted for failing to intervene in the killing. In a post on X, Rev Sharpton said Floyd's death had "forced a long overdue reckoning with systemic racism and galvanized millions to take to the streets in protest". "The conviction of the officer responsible was a rare step toward justice, but our work is far from over," he said. In the wake of Floyd's death, under former President Joe Biden, the justice department opened civil investigations into several local law enforcement agencies, including Minneapolis, Louisville, Phoenix and Lexington, Mississippi, where investigators found evidence of systemic police misconduct. The department reached agreements with both the Louisville and Minneapolis police departments that included oversight measures like enhanced training, accountability, and improved data collection of police last Wednesday, the Trump administration said those findings relied on "flawed methodologies and incomplete data".Administration officials said the agreement were "handcuffing" local police departments. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, though, said this week that his city would still "comply with every sentence, of every paragraph, of the 169-page consent decree that we signed this year".Since returning to office, Trump has also taken aim at Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI) measures intended to reduce racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination. Early in his tenure, Trump signed an executive order to eliminate DEI policies in the federal government, some of which were the result of protests during what is often called "Black Lives Matter Summer", held after the deaths of Floyd and others, Meanwhile, the mayor of Washington, Muriel Bowser, removed Black Lives Matter Plaza, a strip of road that was emblazoned with the phrase near the White House. This week, a famous mural of Floyd in Houston was destroyed as part of a building demolition, as well, according to Houston Public Media. Recent surveys suggest Americans believe there have been few improvements for the lives of black people in the US five years after Floyd's passing, including a May survey from Pew Research Center in which 72% of participants said there had been no meaningful changes. The number of Americans expressing support for the Black Lives Matter movement has also fallen by 15% since June 2020, the same survey suggests.
CBS News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Day of Remembrance community events in Minneapolis honor life of George Floyd
What is George Floyd Square like now? What is George Floyd Square like now? What is George Floyd Square like now? A series of community events in Minneapolis will honor the life of George Floyd on Friday, as organizers hope to create a space for healing, reflection and a commitment to racial justice. The second annual Day of Remembrance will begin with an interfaith prayer in front of the Hennepin County Government Center. Then a community brunch will feature panelists such as Philando Castile's mother Valerie Castile and CEO of the African American Leadership Forum Adair Mosely. A moment of silence and flower ceremony at George Floyd Square will follow the brunch, and the day will conclude with a community gathering at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. "As we approach the five-year mark since George Floyd's death, this event offers space to reflect, reconnect, and reaffirm the fight for racial justice. At a time when national discourse on equity is fading and DEI efforts are being scaled back, this gathering brings people together across generations and sectors to honor history and inspire dialogue of healing and change," organizers said. Members of Floyd's family are expected to attend the various events, including his nephew Brandon Williams and his aunt Angela Harrelson. Day of Remembrance itinerary Interfaith prayer gathering When: 8 a.m. 8 a.m. Where: Minneapolis City Hall rotunda Day of Remembrance brunch (ticketed) When: 10 a.m. 10 a.m. Where: Hilton Minneapolis Moment of silence When: 12:30 p.m. 12:30 p.m. Where: George Floyd Square Art Highlight: Art Heals, Art Activates When: 5 p.m. 5 p.m. Where: Minneapolis Institute of Art (RSVP required)
