Latest news with #RiseandRememberFestival
Saudi Gazette
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Thousands remember George Floyd on fifth anniversary of death
HOUSTON — 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 honor 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 organizations 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 programs 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. — BBC
Qatar Tribune
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Americans remember George Floyd on fifth anniversary of 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 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 an event 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. 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 pastors. 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. (Agencies)
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Americans remember George Floyd on fifth anniversary of 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 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 an event 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. 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 pastors. 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'
Miami Herald
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
5 years later, Minneapolis remembers George Floyd
MINNEAPOLIS - Sunday marks five years since George Floyd was pinned by his neck and killed by police in the streets of Minneapolis, sparking a historic wave of calls to action to end police brutality and racial injustice. Since Floyd was murdered on May 25, 2020, by Minneapolis police, observers have trekked to the city every year on the anniversary of his death to pay their respects and celebrate his legacy. "It's sad that an event like this had to happen for the community to come together," Eric Coleman, who served as part of a security team Sunday, said as he sat near a huge raised fist that's become synonymous with George Floyd Square. "But in the end, that's what you really want." Coleman said the day has waned in intensity since Floyd's death. But the anniversary's ability to bring residents together remains. Around 11:30 a.m., about 150 people wandered what is known as George Floyd Square, pausing at makeshift memorials. Visitors take in the sight of yellow roses lying on the mural painted on the spot that George Floyd was murdered five years ago at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune) On a weekend that is usually reserved for remembering fallen veterans, Floyd's presence can be felt throughout the Twin Cities - from author readings to prayer circles, concerts and more. On Sunday, there are several planned events to honor Floyd's life, with most of the major activities happening near the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue where he was killed. Around 11 a.m., a few dozen people sat in folding chairs in a parking lot for a church service for Floyd held by Worldwide Outreach for Christ. The group was diverse - white and Black, with a Minneapolis Police Department officer sitting among those in the crowd. "I appreciate this day because the sacrifice [Floyd] made was one that enabled us to realize the needs in all our communities," Pastor Curtis Farrar said to the crowd. Other scheduled events include an evening gospel concert - featuring popular local choir the Sounds of Blackness - and a candlelight vigil. This year's theme for the annual Rise and Remember Festival that celebrates Floyd's life in George Floyd Square is "the people have spoken." "Now is the time for the people to rise up and continue the good work we started," Angela Harrelson, an aunt of Floyd and board co-chair of the Rise and Remember nonprofit, said in a statement. At nearby Phelps Field Park, a "Justice for George" exhibit showcased plywood murals from 2020. A few blocks from George Floyd Square, a few people walked by rows of cardboard headstones, each one emblazoned with the name of a Black person killed by police. The "Say Their Names" cemetery has stood since 2020, with the markers commemorating Laquan McDonald and Terence Crutcher and dozens more. Among those striding through the sprawling field was Roxanne Rawson, who moved to Iowa from the Twin Cities two years ago but returned to town for the anniversary. "I couldn't imagine being any place other than Minneapolis this weekend," said Rawson, who noted Floyd's death deepened her awareness of racial injustice. Rawson, who's white, snapped a picture with her phone of the placard commemorating Amir Locke, a 22-year-old Black man killed in 2022 by Minneapolis police. "Just seeing this, doesn't it overwhelm you?" Rawson said, gazing out at the rows of headstones. Floyd's death ignited a worldwide movement not only to make changes in policing but also to address systemic racial inequities in other areas of society. However, the commitment to that global movement's long-term legacy has been challenged. This year's milestone anniversary is marked by a stark contrast in the political atmosphere and societal acceptance of policing reforms, equity and racial justice work that had been widely called for in the aftermath of Floyd's death in 2020. On Wednesday, the Department of Justice filed to dismiss a consent decree agreement with Minneapolis that was supposed to entail sweeping reforms. There have also been rumors that President Donald Trump, who was the president when Floyd was killed, might pardon former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted in Floyd's murder. Publicly, Trump has given no credence to the rumors. The Trump administration has also tried to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs throughout the country in the public and private sector. On Sunday morning outside what is now known as Unity Foods, Tom Johnson made his way through the flower-strewn memorial that marked where Floyd begged for air. Johnson, who lives in Golden Valley, said the current political "backlash," especially the Trump administration's campaign to dismantle diversity and equity initiatives, has cast a pall over the already somber day. Still, the 74-year-old said he hasn't lost hope that "a better society" will prevail. Visiting the square was a small way to push back against the presidential administration, Johnson said. "I don't know what to do. ... It's something," he said. For people who live nearby, Floyd's death has left a more complicated legacy. "People come here to pay respects, take pictures and leave," said 49-year-old Marquise Bowie, who lives two blocks away from the square. The people who live and work in the area "need more than just a celebration of a person," he said. "We need resources." Since 2020, Bowie said not much has changed. The community still badly needs more investment and the rate of Black homeownership remains low, he said. Meanwhile, many of the businesses that line the corridor haven't benefited from the droves of outsiders who visit the square. "I see our neighborhood just become a tourist spot without the financial benefits of tourism," he said. __________ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Straits Times
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Five years after George Floyd's murder, racial justice push continues
Billy Briggs lights candles as the sun sets at a memorial site for George Floyd where he was murdered by former police officer Derek Chauvin ahead of the fifth anniversary of his death in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., May 23, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis Laurie Reemeyer, visiting from Canada, walks amongst the names in 'Say Their Names Cemetery' ahead of the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd by former police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., May 23, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY People walk amongst the \"Say Their Names Cemetery\" on the second day of the three day Rise and Remember Festival honoring the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd by former police officer Derek Chauvin, in Minneapolis, MN, U.S., May 24, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis A mask with \"I Can't Breathe\" written on it lays on a barrier surrounding the memorial site for George Floyd on the second day of the three day Rise and Remember Festival honoring the fifth anniversary of the murder of Floyd by former police officer Derek Chauvin, in Minneapolis, MN, U.S., May 24, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis Jazz Hampton lays a rose as he and other community, family and friends pay their respects at the memorial site where George Floyd was murdered by former police officer Derek Chauvin ahead of the fifth anniversary of Floyd's death in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., May 23, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis Shareeduh McGee is fighting to keep the memory of her cousin George Floyd alive. Millions took to streets across the world to protest the police killing of Floyd, a Black Minneapolis man who gasped "I can't breathe," shortly before dying after an officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes in May 2020. His plea became a rally cry for the protest movement, which demanded police accountability and racial justice. Companies pledged significant sums of money toward addressing systemic discrimination. And conversations about structural racism were thrust into the spotlight. Yet, exactly five years after Floyd's murder, the nation has seen a drastic reversal of support for racial equity efforts. Commitments made by corporate America and the government have been dialed back or eliminated. Diversity, equity and inclusion policies and programs are in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump's administration. Some of these rollbacks predate his Oval Office return. Floyd's murder "was an ultimate sacrifice, and I think if you don't create opportunities for people to learn from it, if we don't have changes that happen because of that huge loss, then it was in vain. His death was in vain," McGee said at a Houston event Thursday commemorating Floyd's life, adding she's disappointed but not surprised by the rollbacks and the Department of Justice's decision to drop oversight spurred by Floyd and the police killings of other Black Americans. Advocates say the nationwide push for racial justice has continued despite the lack of significant reform. But they acknowledge the road ahead is arduous, characterizing it as an intense backlash to diversity efforts and civil rights. "(George Floyd) was a realization by many across the country that this open murder was something that was not only appalling but it brought full circle the question of the treatment of Black people, particularly Black males, in this country," said NAACP President Derrick Johnson. "But the other side of that story is there is an unfortunate fatigue in this country." Experts say periods of backlash aren't new. Throughout American history, including after the civil rights movement, the nation has experienced periods of "racial fatigue" or resentment after progress was made toward securing rights for marginalized groups. "To see the undoing of a beginning of a racial reckoning in less than five years, when it took 12 years and several national elections to get us to the Jim Crow period, the nadir of Black politics after Reconstruction, it moved really quickly this time," said Nadia Brown, a Georgetown professor of government and chair of the Women's and Gender Studies Program. "Five years later, I think that sense of optimism is gone." A May 7 Pew Research Center survey found that 72% of adults in 2025 said the focus on racial inequality did not lead to change that helped Black Americans. It also found that 67% of Black Americans felt doubtful the nation would ever achieve racial equality. "There's been growing skepticism in the last five years," said Juliana Horowitz, co-author of the report and Pew Research's senior associate director of research. "It's a very sizable shift." DEBATE IN CORPORATE AMERICA Americans remain split about the importance of companies making statements about politics or social issues, according to Pew's report, after a number of companies have either scrapped their DEI plans altogether or continued to quietly support them. Rev. Al Sharpton, who delivered Floyd's funeral eulogy and will mark the anniversary with Floyd's family Sunday in Houston, is in the midst of planning a large August march on Wall Street. "We can hold the private sector accountable because they cannot afford the withdrawal of our dollars," said Sharpton, the founder of National Action Network, who has met with a number of company CEOs urging them to reverse their DEI rollbacks or maintain their policies. Civil rights advocates have called for corporations to increase minority leadership representation and invest in under-served communities. Kevin McGary, a conservative and founder of Texas-based nonprofit Every Black Life Matters, said after Floyd's murder, some companies were under pressure to make pledges to advance equity in hiring practices. While civil rights advocates say DEI ensures qualified minority candidates have equal opportunities, McGary and other critics have characterized the efforts as not being merit-based, "everybody should be pushed to have an excellent standard," he said. MOVEMENT 'AT A CROSSROADS' Some have questioned the impact of the Black Lives Matter protests amid a lack of sweeping reforms. But experts told Reuters the movement shifted the national conversation and the narrative. It shifted "Americans' vision of Black folks and to look at things through a systemic lens of understanding how race and racism operate in the United States," Brown said. National Urban League President Marc Morial noted that under former president Joe Biden's administration, a number of officers were convicted and 12 civil rights abuse investigations of police departments were launched. However, Biden's administration did not secure any binding settlements before leaving office. "This progress, which was material, but not the progress we would have wanted, is now threatened even further," Morial said. "We need mayors, city council members, state legislatures and local governmental officials to pick up the mantle of police reform." BLM Grassroots founder Melina Abdullah said the movement is "at a crossroads" but said its strategy has moved towards state-level policy efforts - including pushing for funding mental health responders and Black trans rights - where the impact may be more acute. "We're saying it's time to redouble our efforts," Abdullah said. The Movement for Black Lives, a national network of more than 100 organizations, said their mission remains unchanged. "Black people, we have always sort of been the canary in the coal mine, and we have always been at the forefront of trying to call out these oppressive systems," said M4BL co-executive Amara Enyia. "That didn't just start in 2020 and it hasn't changed over the last five years." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
