The Minneapolis police officers involved in George Floyd’s death were fired, but now there are calls for authorities to take more action. Floyd’s family wants to see the officers behind bars. Floyd’s cousin Tera Brown told CNN’s Don Lemon:
“Firing them is a good start, but we want to see justice for our family. We want to see them charged. We want to have them arrested… what they did was murder and almost the whole world has witnessed that because someone was gracious enough to film it.”
(Watch Lemon’s full interview with the family above.)
Wednesday afternoon Minneapolis mayor Jacob Floyd agreed that the arresting officer should be charged saying, “We can not turn a blind eye. It is on us as leaders to see this for what it is and call it for what it is. George Floyd deserves justice.”
BREAKING: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey calls for officer seen in video with his knee on George Floyd's neck to be charged. Floyd died shortly after the incident.
"If you had done it, or I had done it, we would behind bars right now." https://t.co/C7llqjXlBU pic.twitter.com/QyisDvqKRf
— ABC News (@ABC) May 27, 2020
Some members of the community also came out Tuesday night to call for the officers to be arrested. The Associated Press reports:
Protesters filled the intersection Tuesday evening in the street where Floyd died, chanting and carrying banners that read, “I can’t breathe” and “Jail killer KKKops.” They eventually marched about 2 1/2 miles to a city police precinct, with some protesters damaging windows, a squad car and spraying graffiti on the building.
A line of police in riot gear eventually confronted the protesters, firing tear gas and projectiles.
Violent clashes between protesters & Minneapolis police followed the death of George Floyd, a black man who appeared to be suffocated during an attempted arrest.
@jeffpeguescbs spoke with Floyd's family, who say they want the officers to be brought up on murder charges. pic.twitter.com/M62UXWYQOf
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) May 27, 2020
The FBI and Minnesota state authorities are conducting an investigation into what happened. No doubt this new video should be part of what they examine. It appears to show that Floyd cooperating with police before he was pinned to the floor.
New video from a restaurant security camera obtained by @CBSNews raises questions as to whether #GeorgeFloyd was ever resisting arrest in the first place. pic.twitter.com/qjKxuXnlrb
— Jason DeRusha (@DeRushaJ) May 26, 2020