A new symbol against racism

So many people die every day, of hunger, of illness, in accidents and at the hands of others.

But there are some lives which, when lost, trigger a reaction. Every life is important, to the person and their family, but some tend to carry more meaning to those left behind. It could be because of the person’s age (the death of a young one always brings a different set of emotions); it could be because of the type of accident involved; and it could then also be because of the repercussions just one death can create.

Until a few days ago, nobody knew who George Floyd was, except for his family and friends. But his death has sparked protests not only in Minneapolis, where the incident happened, but in various other states in America and also in other countries, including Europe and Australia.

Floyd, a black man, died on 25 May after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, according to prosecutors. Floyd had been handcuffed and was calling out that he could not breathe. The incident was captured on video and immediately went viral, drawing condemnation from all corners of the world.

The officer, Derek Chauvin, was charged with murder. The three other officers at the scene were later charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. All four were fired last week. If convicted, they could be sentenced to up to four decades in prison.

An investigation has also started on the way police officers behave and whether there is a pattern of discrimination.

Floyd has since become a symbol of the fight against racism and abuse of power. His “I can’t breathe” last words have become the battle-cry for all protestors who have taken to the streets to express their disdain. Violent incidents have been reported in many states. Curfews imposed were broken by many. The social distancing measures imposed to contain the spread of Coronavirus were completely discarded by thousands who huddled together to make their voice heard in Floyd’s name.

It is not the first time that an incident with a racist tinge has taken place in the United States (and it will not be the last). It is also not the first time that there have been protests in the streets after racist incidents. But it is not common that the protests spill to other states and countries. Usually, they remain contained in the city where it happened. This time, the outrage was global.

Even the Pope, usually very cautious with his words so as not to lead to any diplomatic issues, did not hold back from expressing his anger. “My friends, we cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life,” the pope said during his weekly audience on Wednesday.

He labelled racism as a “sin”, although he then also had a word for the protestors, saying that “nothing is gained by violence and so much is lost.”

What is sure is that racism is a plague that has existed for a very long time and one can hope that this changes.

It is therefore very easy to say, at this stage, that one hopes that Floyd’s death will lead to change.

The problem is that, before Floyd, there were others who paid the ultimate sacrifice, and yet nothing changed for the better.