Brother of George Floyd leads protest against racism, police brutality in New Brunswick
After the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers in May, cities nationwide held protests against racism and police brutality.
Terrence Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, helped lead a protest against racism and police brutality in New Brunswick on Saturday, according to an article from TAPinto New Brunswick.
The Daily Targum previously reported George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, died at the hands of Minneapolis police officers in May, sparking nationwide protests, including at Rutgers. Approximately 500 people came out to see Terrence Floyd speak at this event, according to TAPinto New Brunswick.
Terrence Floyd said unity is the greatest weapon when challenging racism and police brutality, according to the article.
“To spread love is the Floyd way because that's what my brother was about,” he said, according to the article. “If he was here, he would tell you that he loved all of you and I'm going to say the same thing. I love you all. White, Black, Brown — it doesn't matter. If you've got love for me, I got love for you."
The event was organized by local activist Tormel Pittman, who led a march throughout the city that ended on the steps of the Middlesex County Courthouse, according to the article. Pittman said Terrence Floyd came to support the New Brunswick community despite not being from there.
“He didn't say, 'I don't know anyone in that area,'" Pittman said, according to the article. "He came out to march with the people."
Protesters chanted not only for George Floyd, but also other victims of racism and police brutality, including Trayvon Martin and Barry Deloatch, a New Brunswick High School security guard who was shot by a police officer in 2011, according to the article.
The event featured other speakers, including Lawrence Hamm, founder of People's Organization for Progress and former U.S. Senate candidate, as well as Newark-based activist Zayid Muhammad, according to an article from Insider NJ.
Muhammad spoke about the importance of holding elected officials accountable at both the state and federal levels. He said there are many obstacles preventing police reform even in New Jersey, and cited the New Jersey Supreme Court’s recent decision to limit the power of the Newark Civilian Complaint Review Board, according to the article.
“Ask (your elected officials) — where are you on a Civilian Complaint Review Board? Where are you on independent investigations? Where are you on that? And if you’re not on the right side of that, then maybe we need to get your behind out of the way and get somebody else,” he said, according to the article.
Hamm said he was honored to attend an event alongside Terrence Floyd and called for the justice system to hold police officers accountable, according to the article. He referenced Breonna Taylor, whose family received a settlement after she was killed in a no-knock police raid. Despite this, the officers who conducted the raid have not yet faced charges, according to The Washington Post.
“Justice is not a civil settlement. You cannot put a price on a life,” he said, according to Insider NJ. “If you ask (Taylor’s) mother if she would prefer $12 million or her daughter, what would she say?”
Hamm said although the officer who killed George Floyd is facing charges, he still has yet to go to trial and be convicted, according to the article.
