Hundreds gather at funeral of George Floyd
Hollywood stars among mourners at funeral for man killed by police
THE black man whose brutal death at the hands of white police sparked worldwide protests over racial injustice has been laid to rest.
Hundreds gathered yesterday to pay their respects to George Floyd before he was buried next to his mother in Houston, Texas.
Among mourners were the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Botham Jean and Eric Garner, all black men who died in similar circumstances, as well as Hollywood stars Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum.
The service at the Fountain of Praise Church began with gospel music and Reverend Al Sharpton walking down the aisle with Floyd family members.
Addressing those gathered, pastor Mia Wright said: “This will be a homegoing celebration of brother George Floyd.
“We may weep, we may mourn, but we will find hope.”
In a video message, former Vice President Joe Biden, who is set to take on Donald Trump for the White House, said: “Too many black Americans wake up knowing that they could lose their life in the course of just living their life.
“Now is the time for racial justice. That’s the answer we must give our children when they ask, ‘Why?’
“Because when there’s justice for
GRIEVING Brothers Rodney & Philonise
George Floyd, we will truly be on our way to racial justice for America.”
Famed civil rights campaigner Al Green said: “George Floyd was not expendable. This is why we’re here.
“His crime was that he was born black. That was his only crime. George Floyd deserved the dignity and the respect that we afford all people because they’re
RAW PAIN Daughter Gianna watches on children of a common God and it is very unfortunate we have to be here, but we celebrate the life of George Floyd today.”
More than 6,000 people attended the viewing of the father-of-five’s body on Monday. Following the fatal arrest of Mr Floyd, pictured, on May 25 in Minneapolis his death has given rise to an international movement to end police brutality framed by his “I can’t breathe” final words.
He died after white police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on the 46-yearold’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds leading to a cardiac arrest.
Chauvin has since been charged with murder.
The funeral was held as Trump pushed a bizarre conspiracy theory claiming a 75-year-old cancer sufferer seen on a video getting shoved to the ground by police during a protest fell “harder than he was pushed” and had connections to an anti-fascist movement.
The tweet referenced a report on the right-wing One America News Network which touted unsubstantiated claims Martin Gugino had possible connections to Antifa, a group Trump has said he wants to label as a domestic terrorist organisation.
The report claimed the incident, which left Mr Gugino in a serious condition in hospital after cracking his head in the fall, “could be the result of a false flag provocation by far-left group Antifa”.
■ An online book of condolences in memory of Mr Floyd has been opened by the Mayor of Limerick.