Minneapolis celebrates ‘sliver of justice’ after Derek Chauvin convicted of murdering George Floyd

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/04/2021 (1356 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MINNEAPOLIS—“Minnesota, don’t let darkness define you,” Reverend Jesse Jackson said Tuesday night, standing in front of a mural of George Floyd’s face near the intersection of 38th St. and Chicago Ave. that has become familiar to people around the world, addressing a crowd of thousands. “Minnesota, light will defeat dark. Love will defeat hate.”

As night fell on the city Tuesday, the mood in the place that’s come to be known as George Floyd Square was light — joyful, thankful, relieved. After the verdict of guilty on all three counts, including second-degree murder, for former police officer Derek Chauvin for Floyd’s death was announced, they were celebrating all over the city. They were celebrating all over the country.

But the celebration here had a particular poignance.

It was here, on this patch of street, that Floyd died almost a year ago, face down with his hands cuffed behind his back as Chauvin knelt on his neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. It was here that a horrified 17-year-old named Darnella Frazier recorded the events of Floyd’s death in a video that would shock the world and inspire a nationwide movement for racial justice and police accountability. It was here that the movement took root, with murals and shrines and billboards commemorating Floyd’s life and death, a sculpture in the traffic circle representing his call for help, a former gas station repurposed as a headquarters for a “people’s way” daily activist centre seeking justice.

“George Floyd had to die so that this community could live,” Floyd’s uncle said, commenting on the thriving community that had sprung up on that spot in the wake of his death. Shortly after he finished speaking, another woman addressing the crowd said “community is the antidote to racism,” and had everyone chant, “This is the rose that grew from the concrete of our streets.”

Into the night, people continued to stream into the square from the surrounding residential area, like a giant family block party celebrating “a sliver of justice” in the case. There were lots of small children, people walking dogs, senior citizens. In one parking lot, fragrant smoke rose into the sky from a cookout, in another, a brass band played. Between the abandoned gas station pumps children sat around a campfire. When NWA’s enduring protest anthem “F— the Police” was played over the sound system, it turned into a rollicking dance party.

Throughout the night, a series of speakers that included members of Floyd’s family and civil rights and social justice advocates celebrated the decision as a step forward for accountability, but noted that it was a small step in what they expected to be a long journey. The death of Daunte Wright last week in the nearby suburb of Brooklyn Center was invoked frequently.

Yet in a state that had never previously convicted a white police officer for his role in the death of a Black person, there was suddenly a wider sense of the possibility of change.

People chanted, “If we fight, we can win!”

As the celebrations went on, the surrounding streets were full of people out strolling serenely and enjoying the brisk, clear evening. Across the city, sidewalks had been barren in recent days as tension over the verdict and the possible reaction to it mounted — Minneapolis has paid a heavy price in the past year as conflict took over its streets while the world watched. Hours after the decision, people were relaxing out into their neighbourhood. Others stood on rooftops taking it all in.

Around the sculpture of the giant fist that forms the centre of the square, people burned incense and stood in reflection before the portraits of Floyd, and Wright, and other people of colour who had died at the hands of police. Fresh flowers were laid on the street before the paintings and crosses marking their deaths.

As the night wore on, fireworks lit up the night sky over the buildings.

In front of a mural of Floyd where people laid flowers and notes of remembrance, a hand-painted sign calling for justice for Floyd had been edited to reflect the day’s events. “Finally a little Justice for George Floyd,” it said.

“No one expected this from Minneapolis,” one woman said, and the crowd cheered. “We did it here. We can lead America. Minneapolis, we can do it.”

One of George Floyd’s aunts told the crowd that this spot, George Floyd Square, was the only place in the country she felt entirely comfortable in the embrace of strangers. “The love you’ve shown my family, that’s all I need to know.” She led the crowd in a now familiar chant.

“Say his name!” she shouted.

“George Floyd,” they replied.

Edward Keenan is the Star’s Washington Bureau chief. He covers U.S. politics and current affairs. Reach him via email: ekeenan@thestar.ca