Ten days after the death of George Floyd, a ceremony was held in Minneapolis in tribute to this 46-year-old African American who died under the knee of a white police officer. Family, political and religious leaders denounced "the pandemic of racism and discrimination".

"You have changed the world George": the American leader of the civil rights Al Sharpton delivered Thursday at a ceremony in homage to George Floyd a moving eulogy. He had sad, but also hopeful, political overtones with the promise of "continuing the fight". 

Family, religious or political leaders and celebrities gathered at the North Central Christian University of Minneapolis to honor the memory of this African-American, whose death at the age of 46 under the knee of a white police officer on May 25 triggered a deep wave of anger across the United States.

As George Floyd's golden casket gets wheeled out of the memorial service, the crowd chants, “No justice, no peace! Prosecute the police! ” The casket in many ways representing the very essence of what's being chanted. # GeorgeFloydpic.twitter.com / EysMZHbzAI

- Omar Jimenez (@OmarJimenez) June 4, 2020

Crying Minneapolis Mayor

The ceremony, in the presence of black personalities like the rapper TI or the comic Kevin Hart, began with a moving interpretation of Amazing Grace after the mayor, white, of Minneapolis knelt in tears in front of the coffin.

Other strong images, those of the mayor of Minneapolis, crying before the coffin of George Floyd. One knee on the ground. pic.twitter.com/1afsFq00Tn

- Elisabeth Guédel (@EGuedel) June 4, 2020

It was notably marked by a period of silence of 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the time during which the police officer Derek Chauvin remained kneeling on the neck of George Floyd despite his pleas. Speaking, the brother of the deceased, Philonise Floyd, denounced with applause "the pandemic of racism and discrimination" which prevailed.

"Common dysfunction of the judicial system"

Reverend Al Sharpton, a figure in the civil rights movement, delivered a very political eulogy. "George Floyd should not be among the dead. He did not die from a common health problem. He died from a common dysfunction of the American justice system," he said, seeing in his knee who crushed the neck of George Floyd the symbol of the oppression of African-Americans in the United States since the time of slavery.