George Floyd’s family responds to Derek Chauvin’s conviction: ‘Today, we are able to breathe again’
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George Floyd’s family members expressed gratitude and called for more change Tuesday, shortly after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering the Black man in 2020.
“We have to march. We have to do this for life. We have to protest, because it seems like this is a never-ending cycle,” Philonise Floyd, George’s brother, said at a press conference. “I’ll put up a fight every day. Because I’m not just fighting for George anymore, I’m fighting for everybody around this world.”
The Floyds spoke about an hour after a jury found Chauvin guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Chauvin’s killing of Floyd on May 25, 2020, sparked worldwide Black Lives Matter protests, and the trial was closely watched.
“Today, we are able to breathe again,” Philonise Floyd said. “We’re gonna fight for everybody. We’re here, and we’re not going anywhere. I wanna thank all the protesters, all the attorneys who stepped up, all the activists who stepped up. Thank you all. Justice for George means freedom for all.”
Floyd family members, alongside their attorneys and the Rev. Al Sharpton, called on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which has stalled in the Senate.
The Floyds thanked many people, including activists around the world, for contributing to Tuesday’s verdict. Some noted how rare the decision was, and specifically contrasted it with Breonna Taylor’s case, where the top cops who fatally shot the 26-year-old Black woman in Louisville, Kent., in March 2020 were not charged with crimes.
“Everything proved exactly what we saw in that video. But yet, we still questioned the decision of the jury,” Brandon Williams, George’s nephew said. “We need each and every officer to be held accountable. Until then, it’s still scary to be a Black man or woman in America and encounter the police. When I say today is a pivotal moment, it’s a chance for America to turn in the right direction.”
