New York: New Yorkers stayed on the streets Thursday for another day of protests spurred by the death of George Floyd. They were also present at a memorial service for George Floyd where police used batons against demonstrators. They broke the city-imposed curfew the night before to join the memorial.
‘You are not alone’
“You are not alone,” the large crowd at Brooklyn’s Cadman Plaza chanted before an emotional Terrence Floyd. He was wearing a mask and a T-shirt bearing his brother’s likeness. He thanked all those present for their support of his brother, killed by Minneapolis police. “I thank God for you all showing love to my brother,” said Terrence.
Of the demonstrations that have engulfed this city and the United States (US), and the violence that has taken place, he said, “I’m proud of the protests but I’m not proud of the destruction. My brother wasn’t about that. The Floyds are a God-fearing family. Power to the people, all of us,”
The memorial was part of a day of demonstrations around the city that once again continued past the city’s imposed curfew of 8.00pm. Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio sought to deflect criticism over harsh tactics from police enforcing the curfew.
Defying curfew
After curfew time, thousands of protesters were out, and so were police. In some places, they watched but didn’t immediately move in. At other locations they made orderly arrests without the batons and riot gear of previous nights.
Demanding justice
Miguel Fernandes said there were ‘a lot more nights to go’ of marching because protesters hadn’t got what they wanted. “We’re still waiting for a conviction. We still haven’t gotten it,” Fernandes said. “All they’re doing is putting in charges. The system is not doing anything to make these guys pay for what they did.”
As darkness fell, cries of ‘George Floyd’ and ‘No justice, no peace’ continued to come from protesters, even as crowds shrank. “It’s energetic,” said Kenyata Taylor. “It’s great to be alive, it’s history right now.”
Demonstrators had been in Cadman Plaza, the site of Floyd’s memorial, Wednesday night. Videos were taken then of officers using batons and pepper spray on protesters who remained there after the curfew.
Official viewpoint
Both Cuomo and De Blasio said they had not seen the widely shared videos. However, Cuomo later tweeted that he was asking the state attorney general to investigate the incidents of police atrocities.
“Peaceful protest is a sacred American right,” Cuomo tweeted. “No peaceful protestor deserves to be hit with a baton and no self-respecting police officer would defend that,” he added.
De Blasio spoke at the memorial, with the crowd booing and heckling from the moment he arrived, shouting over him as he urged that Floyd’s death not be in vain.
AP