Rallies, moments of silence honour George Floyd a year later

People attend a candlelight vigil at George Floyd Memorial Square in Minneapolis on Tuesday. Pic/AFP

A family-friendly street festival, musical performances and moments of silence were held Tuesday to honour George Floyd and mark the year since he died at the hands of Minneapolis police, a death captured on a wrenching bystander video that galvanised the racial justice movement and continues to bring calls for change. Floyd's sister Bridgett and other family members held a moment of silence at a "Celebration of Life" event at a downtown Minneapolis park that included music, food trucks, an inflatable bouncy house and a vaccination stand.

A few miles away, at the site of the intersection where Floyd died, dozens of people kneeled around a steel fist sculpture for several minutes. "It's been a troubling year, a long year," Bridgett Floyd told the crowd downtown. "But we made it. ... The love is here. George is here." Other members of Floyd's family met in Washington with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who urged Congress to quickly pass a law in Floyd's name that would bring changes to policing.

Floyd, 46, died May 25, 2020, after then-Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck, pinning him to the ground for about 9 1/2 minutes. Chauvin was convicted last month of murder and faces sentencing June 25. Three other fired officers still face trial.

Police slammed over deadly arrest

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards on Tuesday denounced the deadly 2019 arrest of Ronald Greene as "regrettable", criticising the state troopers who repeatedly stunned, choked and punched the Black motorist. The governor also chided officers for standing by but failing to intervene in the inhuman act.

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