George Floyd laid to rest as sea of mourners gather for funeral in Houston; Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx attend
George Floyd's daughter, Gianna Floyd, sat close to her mother Roxie Washington as celebrities and citizens came together to pay their tributes.
Almost two weeks after his death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, George Floyd was laid to rest in hometown Houston, Texas. A sea of mourners gathered on the streets to pay their last respects, many others stood in long queues during Floyd's public memorial. As per reports, the private funeral service was held at the Fountain of Praise Church in Houston and Floyd was later buried in the Houston Memorial Gardens. Apart from friends and family, the funeral also saw celebrities come together to pay their condolences.
According to E!News, Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, Floyd Mayweather, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, musician Kathy Taylor and Ivy McGregor among others were present for the funeral. George Floyd's daughter, Gianna Floyd, was spotted at the church as she sat close to her mother, Roxie Washington. The family also received a condolence message from former Vice President Joe Biden.
Floyd's family and mourners teared up as they paid their last respects. At the funeral, Rev. Al Sharpton gave an eulogy that called for changes that can prevent the deaths of more citizens. He said, "We are not fighting some disconnected incidents. We are fighting an institutional systemic problem that has been allowed to permeate since we were brought to these shores. We are fighting wickedness in high places. You're trying to figure out how to stop the protests instead of figuring out how to stop the brutality," he told the congregation.
After the funeral service, George Floyd's casket was placed in a horse-drawn carriage and taken to his final resting peace in a procession which saw thousands of Houston residents on the streets.
Take a look at some of the pictures from George Floyd's funeral below:
George Floyd's demise reignited the Black Lives Matter movement across the US as protests raged the country for more than a week. For the unversed, Floyd died after a police officer was caught on camera kneeling on his neck as he kept saying 'I Can't breathe'. An African-American man, Floyd's death has caused massive protests and urged politicians and lawmakers in the US to look at the systemic problem of racism, racial injustice and white supremacy.
Apart from citizens, scores of celebrities also took part in the movement and joined the protests. From Ariana Grande and Cole Sprouse to Jamie Foxx, Camila Cabello, Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas, celebs took to the streets. Several others like Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carell, Chrissy Teigen and Seth Rogen donated their bit. Michael B. Jordan called for Hollywood to invest in black staff during a protest. In fact, Riverdale star Cole Sprouse revealed that he even got arrested for participating in a protest.
No justice, no peace #BlackLivesMatter
Richard Madden and his quarantine partner Froy Gutierrez were spotted attending protests in Santa Monica together. The actor also shared a selfie of himself in the midst of the protest wearing a black tee and jeans along with a matching snapback and mask. "Peaceful Protest. Santa Monica. Black Lives Matter," Madden wrote. Ariana urged her fans to educate themselves about the grave issue and shared photos from the protest.
Sophie Turner, who is pregnant, also joined a BLM protest with husband Joe Jonas and were heard chanting, "No justice, no peace." Singer Halsey was at the frontline protesting in Santa Monica, California, and also provided medical aid to fellow protesters who had been injured. She shared, "Do not underplay these rubber bullets bc you have been told they are 'not lethal'. I had to bandage a man who looked like his entire face had exploded today. So before you say, from the comfort of your home, that we're exaggerating, please consider the injuries some have suffered."
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Beyonce, Rihanna, Adele and George Clooney among others also spoke about the racial injustice. Sharing a photo of George Floyd, Adele wrote, "So be righteously angered but be focused! Keep listening, keep asking and keep learning! It’s important we don’t get disheartened, hijacked or manipulated right now. This is about systematic racism, this is about police violence and it’s about inequality."
Rest In Peace, George Floyd!
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