Texas judge declares June 9 ‘George Floyd Day’ as protests rage on

A judge in Texas has proclaimed June 9 “George Floyd Day.” Floyd was killed two weeks ago by a Minneapolis police officer who knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes, despite his desperate pleas for his life.

In a tweet on Monday, Judge Lina Hidalgo said people “must never forget the name George Floyd or the global movement he has inspired.”

Floyd’s brutal death sparked massive anti-police-brutality and Black Lives Matter demonstrations across the US, which subsequently spread overseas to cities such as London, Paris, Rome and Madrid, among others. While the protests have largely been peaceful, some have descended into violence and rioting.

On Monday, the public was offered the opportunity to pay its last respects to Floyd, with a public viewing of his casket drawing thousands to a church in Houston. Many wore masks and T-shirts emblazoned with the words “I can’t breathe.”

Mourners stood in line for hours to enter the Fountain of Praise church, at which Floyd had been a worshiper for much of his life. 

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