Yara Shahidi, Ava Duvernay, and Common Share Thoughts on George Floyd Case
Celebrities and more government officials express their thoughts on the latest case of police brutality against George Floyd.
Police brutality against black people has been at an all-time high for the past decade now, with the most recent case of George Floyd being on display. The Black Lives Matter movement has always strived to make moves to create awareness of police brutality against black people. In this most recent case, the footage was shown of Minneapolis citizen George Floyd attacked by a police officer who held him down on his neck with his knee.
After several minutes of Floyd crying out that he couldn’t breathe, the police officer still didn’t listen and continued to kneel into his neck. Because the officer would let up, he ultimately cut off George Floyd’s circulation.
Floyd was arrested for an alleged forgery on Monday morning after a person thought him to be the suspect. He was then dragged out of his car, handcuffed, and “resisted physically”. Police reported he later died in a local hospital.
Celebrities and other government officials have expressed their sympathies, anger, frustration, and dismay in regard to this event, including the actress Yara Shahidi, rapper and actor Common, director Ava DuVernay, and Reverend Al Sharpton.
Drawing a parallel between the police killings of #EricGarner & #GeorgeFloyd. Yes, it is great that the 4 officers involved in Floyd’s murder have been fired, but there must be a thorough investigation. A man lost his life, those responsible lost their jobs, it can’t end there. pic.twitter.com/XWoMv1GHu2
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) May 26, 2020
“To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious, is to be in a rage almost all the time.” James Baldwin. #BlackLivesMatter
— COMMON (@common) May 27, 2020
TO CONSISTENTLY VIOLATE ONE’S RIGHT TO BREATH REVEALS THAT THEY DON’T THINK WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXIST IN THE FIRST PLACE … #BLACKLIVESMATTER
— Yara shahidi (@YaraShahidi) May 26, 2020
You deserved your breath, your dignity, your life. Not to die in the street, murdered by a white cop’s knee on your neck. You deserve our tears, our prayers, our rage, our action. We must act – for you – and for all of those were no cameras are present. We must. #GeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/JeMNUtkXv6
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) May 27, 2020
rest in power #GeorgeFloyd an unarmed black man who was murdered by a police officer ON CAMERA. this system is failing the people it should protect. where is the accountability?
— h (@halsey) May 27, 2020
Whether it’s George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Micheal Brown, Sandra Bland, or any other black life that was lost at the hands of the police — both unsolved and resolved — the fight to dismantle police brutality continues. It’s important for people of all races to use their platforms to spread awareness. It is also important for the government and Congress officials to speak out against these injustices. Both the public and private citizens should invest in making the world a safer place for black people to live in.
Rest in Power to George Floyd, we offer our sincere condolences to his family and friends.
