Joy and relief after Derek Chauvin convicted of murdering George Floyd
A jury convicted former Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin of murder in the arrest of George Floyd, a milestone in the fraught racial history of the United States. Here are some initial reactions.
Cheers and joy in Minneapolis
Many outside the Hennepin County Government Center burst out in joyful yells after former police office Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all charges for the murder of George Floyd. The murder galvanized people worldwide around issues of race and law enforcement.
Relief after former officer's conviction
But it wasn't all loud and happy tears. Some protesters embraced silently after the verdict, like these two at Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, DC. The hug captures the relief many have felt after hearing about the verdict. In a phone call with Floyd's family, US President Joe Biden said: "At least now there is some justice." Later, he said that such a verdict was "much too rare."
Protests draw attention to other cases
US President Biden also said: "We can't leave this moment or look away thinking our work is done." Many people have marched in rallies after the verdict in Minneapolis. They want justice in other cases of police brutality, with one woman saying: " I am overwhelmed, grateful and glad this is the verdict. But now I am also happy to move on to the next one."
Call for police accountability
Protesters called for justice for Daunte Wright, who was killed by officer Kim Potter last week. Wright, also a Black man, was pulled over for having expired license plates. The officer said she unintentionally used her handgun instead of her Taser after Wright refused to be taken into custody. She has been charged with second-degree manslaughter.
Floyd one among many Blacks killed by US police
George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks ... these were a few of the Americans killed by police officers in 2020. Their names have been raised up at protests across the country calling for reforming or defunding the police. Despite making up only around 12% of the population, Black Americans are much more likely to be killed by the police.
George Floyd Square
Chauvin's conviction represents a milestone, as almost all cases against the police result in no criminal charges against officers involved. That fact was clear to people who gathered in Minneapolis at George Floyd Square, which has become a public shrine and focal point for debate, as well as a canvas for artistic expression denouncing racial injustice and police brutality in the United States.