It’s been a rough 2020. Millions upon millions of acres burned in Australia earlier this year, the world has been devastated by a rapidly-spreading virus that has already infected 6.2 million people and killed 376,000, and now the murder of George Floyd has acted as the straw that broke the camel’s back for citizens around the globe who are fed up with police brutality.
Floyd was killed by asphyxia when officer Derek Chauvin kept a knee on his neck for nearly 9 minutes during an arrest in Minneapolis despite his many attempts to tell the police he couldn’t breathe. Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder, though rumors have begun to circulate that the officer will have more substantial charges filed soon. After all, the third-degree murder charge has upset those who believe Chauvin should receive far more for so carelessly causing Floyd’s death, prompting nationwide protests and riots in nearly every major city in America.
Now, protests and riots have started popping up in other countries as well, both in solidarity for black Americans and also to stand against police brutality in their own regions. Many celebrities are stepping up to make their voices heard, too. For instance, as thousands took to the streets of London on Wednesday, Star Wars actor John Boyega used his voice to thank those who showed up to protest and take their stand against the ongoing racial injustices worldwide.
Using a loud speaker, Boyega told the crowd,
Thank you for coming out today. Thank you for being here to show your support. Black people, I love you. I appreciate you. Today is an important day. We are fighting for our rights, we are fighting for our ability to live in freedom, we are fighting for our ability to achieve… Today you guys are a visible representation of that!
I need you to understand how painful it is, to be reminded every day that you race means nothing. That is not the case anymore – we are a physical representation of our support of George Floyd.
https://twitter.com/symeonbrown/status/1268192825881112586
With seemingly no end to the protests and riots, some US cities are now being occupied by the National Guard to enforce curfews and keep protesters off the streets. This has led to increased tensions across both sides and has resulted in further violence and frustration as those peacefully taking a stand are forced to fight or be beaten back. No one knows exactly how this story will end, but there’s no denying the immense courage and passion of those who refuse to be unheard anymore.