Huge crowd in Houston to pay homage to George Floyd

Tens of thousands of people took part in the march in honor of George Floyd in Houston, June 2, 2020. Mark Felix / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

The march organized in memory of George Floyd, died asphyxiated by a police officer, gathered 60,000 people. An impressive figure for this city of Texas. The procession was led by the family of the one who grew up in Houston.

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Many of them wear George Floyd t-shirts , with his words: "  I can't breathe  ." In the crowd on foot or on horseback, African-Americans, but also Latinos and Asians, reports our special correspondent in Houston, Thomas Harms.

It really surprised me, but also filled with a lot of emotion to see so many people," says a young man. People of color, Latinos, Asians. And it's good to see that a city as diverse as Houston is united.  "

Several sheriffs walk with the crowd. The police give a thumbs up in support . Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo kneels with protesters. Even Will Hurd, the only black Republican elected at the American Congress, is present in the crowd.

When they got to the town hall, thousands of people listened to the family. I never thought we would have so many people for my brother," said George's brother Philonyse Floyd. I wouldn't be here if you weren't there. I would be at home in shock on my chair. I am hurt. I like my brother.  "

Police reform

After him, the Floyd family's lawyer, Lee Merritt, is determined: "  We must take this fight to Washington DC. Call for the creation of a George Floyd police refute law. And we will not stop protesting or fighting until this happens.  "

The struggle is titanic as it challenges the whole system of maintaining order in the country. Because, according to Human Rights Watch, which is based on statistics for the past three years, this system does not place the same value on all human lives.

Abuse of African Americans

In the United States, the police kill about 1,000 people a year, which is a lot," said Kenneth Roth, the executive director of the NGO, at the microphone of Marie Normand, journalist with the international service of RFI. But we must also observe this from a racial angle. In the past three years, even though African Americans make up only about 13% of the population in the United States, they represent 25% of those killed by police, almost double. It is even worse if we take only those killed who were unarmed: around 37% of blacks.  "

How to reverse the trend? The impunity with which the police operate must be examined," continues Kenneth Roth. There are very few lawsuits. But the treatment of African Americans by the police is only part of the problem, part of the treatment of the American political system. We can mention the underfunding of access to basic health care. This is one of the factors explaining why the death rate from the coronavirus pandemic has been so high among African Americans . And that's why the murder of George Floyd sparked such animosity around the world: it truly reflects the mistreatment of a larger system.  "

Fear of division maintained by Donald Trump

Many street protesters in Houston now believe that a major change is needed. But also a change that will go through the polls next November.

However, a number of analysts in the United States are watching with growing concern the threats made by Donald Trump against the demonstrations against police violence, racism and inequality in the country. This is what Dick Howard, emeritus professor of political philosophy at Stony Brook University in New York, joined by Stefanie Schüler, of the international service of RFI, raises .

I admit: I am afraid. I don't see how we can get away with this president and such a division of the country, worries Dick Howard. This president knows that he suffers from strong disadvantages in the electoral campaign. He does not understand and he has no respect for the constitution, for the idea of ​​the separation of powers, necessary for the governance of a republic. I fear that he is going beyond his own skills. On the other hand, supposing he was not re-elected [in the presidential election of November 3], I do not know what his supporters would do: the Trumpists are more and more heated up. What can it give by November? I have strong fears.  "

For the moment, threats by Donald Trump do not prevent mobilization in the country. In addition to Houston, in Los Angeles, the mayor Eric Garcetti posed with the police a knee on the ground, symbol since 2016 of the denunciation of police violence against the African-American minority.

In Washington, several thousand people, including Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, protested until late Tuesday evening, defying the city's curfew starting at 7 p.m. The surrounding area of ​​the White House was blocked by metal barriers, preventing any direct confrontation with the police.

To listen: What rights and what justice for African-Americans?

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  • United States
  • Racism
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