America
Mourners broke into floods of tears as they approached the dad-of-five's coffin at the emotional Houston service this afternoon.
George Floyd's niece has called out Donald Trump in a powerful eulogy at her uncle's funeral.
Mourners broke into floods of tears as they approached the dad-of-five's coffin at the emotional Houston service this afternoon.
Among the speakers delivering words of comfort were Mr Floyd's brother Philonise Floyd and former vice-president Joe Biden.
It was Brooke Williams, Mr Floyd's niece, who stole the show and moved the crowd with her storming speech however.
Directing her words to former officer Derek Chauvin, charged with
Floyd's death, she said: "He begged and pleaded just for you to get up.
But you just pushed harder.
"Why must this system be corrupt and broken? These laws need to be changed. No more hate crimes please."
Ms Williams added: "Somebody said make America great again. But when has America ever been great?
"Those four officers were literally on him for nine minutes and none of them showed they have a heart or soul.
"This is not just a murder, but a hate crime."
Trump came under fire on Friday when he suggested that Mr Floyd was
sitting in heaven happy about a slight better US jobs report than
expected.
“Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying this a great thing that’s happening for our country,” he said.
“There’s a great day for him. It’s a great day for everybody. It’s a
great day for everybody. There’s a great, great day in terms of
equality.”
In a video message, former Vice President Joe Biden, who is set to take
on Donald Trump for the White House, said: "Too many black Americans
wake up knowing that they could lose their life in the course of just
living their life."
"Now is the time for racial justice. That's the answer we must give our children when they ask, 'Why?'
"Because when there's justice for George Floyd, we will truly be on our way to racial justice for America."
Famed civil rights campaigner, Al Green, said: "George Floyd was not expendable. This is why we're here.
"His crime was that he was born black. That was his only crime. George
Floyd deserved the dignity and the respect that we afford all people
because they're children of a common god and it is very unfortunate we
have to be here, but we celebrate the life of George Floyd today."
More than 6,000 people attended the father-of-five's viewing on Monday, which was open to the public.
Following Mr Floyd's fatal arrest on May 25 in Minneapolis his death has
given rise to an international movement to end police brutality framed
by his "I can't breathe" final words.
He died after white Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee
on the 46-year-old's neck for an agonising eight minutes and 46 seconds
leading to have a cardiac arrest. Chauvin has since been charged with
murder.
Mourners broke into floods of tears as they approached the dad-of-five's coffin at the emotional Houston service this afternoon.
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