“George called for help and he was ignored,” said Philonise Floyd.
Washington:
George Floyd’s brother, whose murder by police has sparked global protests against racism, told the US Congress on Wednesday to “end the pain” by adopting reforms to combat and reduce police violence.
One day after burying her brother in Houston, Philonise Floyd appeared in person before a House hearing, where he described the anguish of watching a video of George’s death and asked lawmakers to solve the systemic problems of law enforcement.
“I’m here to ask you to stop. Stop the pain,” said the youngest Floyd, wiping his forehead and holding back the tears.
“I can’t tell you the kind of pain you feel when you watch … your big brother, whom you’ve watched all your life, die – die begging for his mom,” he added.
“George called for help and he has been ignored. Please listen to my call now, to our family and to the streets around the world,” said Floyd, who was carrying a virus mask with an image of his brother.
“Perhaps by speaking to you today, I can assure myself that his death will not be in vain.”
George Floyd, 46, died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25 when a white officer rested his knee on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes.
The video of the shocking abuse went viral, and protests – some violent, the most peaceful – have erupted from coast to coast in some of the most serious American civil unrest in generations.
The testimony came shortly after Democrats in Congress unveiled a package of sweeping reforms aimed at reducing systemic racism in the application of American law.
The legislation aims to end police violence in part by making it easier to prosecute officers for abuse, requiring anti-racism training and prohibiting dismissed officers from working in the police force in other districts.
Strangulation would be made illegal and lynching would become a federal hate crime.
The main Republican of the House Judiciary Committee, Jim Jordan, admitted that it was “time for a real discussion” on the police treatment of African Americans, in the last sign that the Republicans also want to make changes to the system.
“It’s as bad as bad can be,” Jordan told Philonise Floyd of George Floyd’s death, “and your brother’s killers will be brought to justice.”
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
