By Center For Policing Equity
Photos: Wikimedia Commons\YouTube Screenshots
“I can’t breathe.”
Four years ago, George Perry Floyd, Jr. uttered these last words as his life was taken from him in a cruel display of police brutality. His words, and the subsequent video of his murder, enraged the entire world. From Bristol to Rio de Janeiro to Sydney, protestors defied pandemic lockdown orders to demand a reimagining of our public safety system. A system designed with policies that fuel racist actions, permit the use of unnecessary violence, and far too often lack police accountability.
Known as a “Gentle Giant,” George Floyd devoted himself to the work of anti-violence in his community through mentorship and volunteerism. He was a beloved father, grandfather, and friend. The life he was building for himself, however, could not overcome the racist policies and outdated training so pervasive in law enforcement.
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd’s murderer, a White police officer, shirked his duty to a community he was sworn to protect. Instead of valuing all human life, including George Floyd’s life, then-officer Derek Chauvin sought to bring a Black man into compliance through excessive use of force, no matter the cost. As he killed George Floyd, Chauvin – now serving concurrent 22 and 21-year sentences for murder and deprivation of human rights – ignored the pleas of a community leader in medical distress; a father of five crying out, “I can’t breathe;” a Black man whose life mattered.
The response to George Floyd’s murder was immediate, impassioned, and unforgettable. It was a collective rage that sparked a movement; “I can’t breathe” its rallying cry. In the months that followed, George Floyd’s death exposed the pervasiveness and influence of White supremacy in policing. With an unmistakably strong voice, this movement called for a change in how police officers are trained and understand their work, how they respond to traffic stops and mental health calls, and how they are held accountable when excessive use of force is employed. This is where our work comes in.
The rallies may have ended but the fire remains. We recognize our power as a collective and channel our energy and passion into the work we do every day. By employing data-driven interventions and cultivating community partnerships, we can transform public safety in the United States and beyond. Our fight for Black liberation has not ended. With each new victory, we move one step closer toward an equitable and just society for all.
We will never forget the words, “I can’t breathe.” We will never forget the nine minute and 29 second lynching of George Floyd. On this day, we honor the Gentle Giant’s legacy by demanding policing that is less omnipresent, less deadly, and truly accountable.
