A jury has found Derek Chauvin guilty on all three counts of murdering George Floyd. It was the first time a white police officer was convicted of killing a Black man in the state of Minnesota.
It was a long awaited coda to Floyd’s life, who became an international symbol for the racial injustice Black men and women face in America, launching the largest civil rights movement in world history as “Black Lives Matter” became an anthem across the globe.
Now, with the jury’s verdict, the man who knelt on Floyd’s neck until he died will be a rare example of police being held accountable for their actions. Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the killing of Floyd, which was recorded by bystanders. Many of those bystanders were pleading for Chauvin to stop, and Floyd himself could be heard calling for his mother in his final minutes.
Across social media, Christian leaders and activists praised the decision of the jury for a rare example of justice. We will update this with more posts as they come.
God knew just how much we could bear.
This is a turning point.
Let's continue to correct everything that stands against love.
That is true #justice. #BeLove #GeorgeFloyd
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) April 20, 2021
So many of us have been holding so much in. Feel what you feel. The thoughts, the statements, the analyzing will more fruitfully flow out of an authentic connection with ourselves and others. #DerekChauvinTrial
— Jemar Tisby (@JemarTisby) April 20, 2021
One person I want to lift up right now is Darnella Frazier.
She’s just 17, but when she saw a murder she didn’t walk past. She did something and filmed it.
This is our job: Each of us must bear witness to what’s wrong and do whatever is in our power.
— Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis (@RevJacquiLewis) April 20, 2021
Praise God that former white police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all charges for the public execution of a father and brother, Mr. George Floyd. While I feel great relief, sadly, this verdict means…(1/3)
— Dr. Williams-Skinner (@williamsskinner) April 20, 2021
then indeed, all lives will matter – Latino lives, Asian lives, Indigenous lives, and White lives. We continue to pray for every Black and Brown mother whose unarmed son or daughter was killed by police and paid no price for it. (3/3)
— Dr. Williams-Skinner (@williamsskinner) April 20, 2021
I long for the day when an officer being found guilty of murder 4 killing a black man on camera, in front of witnesses, is not historical its’s just a tuesday.
And I long even more for that day to never come because know more knees will be on anymore necks. #GeorgeFloyd
— Rasool Berry (@rasoolberry) April 20, 2021
Statement From the Evangelical Covenant Church:
“We must continue to speak up and practice solidarity. In Luke 10, an expert in the law famously asks Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” George Floyd was our neighbor, made in God’s image, and that image was violated when his life was violently taken. The sin that informs a legal system that works for some and against others is worthy of our lament and calls us forth as ambassadors of reconciliation. We all must name the sin of racism by speaking truth in love. Not doing so has led us to this perilous time.
“We must also not grow weary in standing in solidarity with those who have been wronged and treated unjustly. There is no quick or easy fix to heal our pandemic of racism. It will take time and every single one of us. This is a systemic problem, and we must continue to actively work–every day–to address it while working to reconcile relationships within disenfranchised communities. This is one of the most important discipleship issues before us. In this watershed moment, we pray that our sacrificial love for one another bears witness to who and whose we are.
“The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous” Proverbs 21:15a
— Mika Edmondson (@mika_edmondson) April 20, 2021
I wish the families of Emmett Till, Amadou Diallo, Trayvon Martin, Tamil Rice, Freddie Gray, Sandra Bland, Mike Brown, Breonna Taylor were given this level of accountability #ChauvinIsGuilty #BlackLivesMatter
— WMIIIX is Vaxxed (@WilliamMatt22) April 20, 2021
Whew. Imagine if his murder wasn’t recorded 😩
— Prop (@prophiphop) April 20, 2021
Statement from Rev. Sammy Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
“Today’s decision has demonstrated yet again how far we have to go on our long march toward justice. The wounds of our past continue to bleed into our present reality and the tensions in American life — revealed by this terrible tragedy — have remind us that there will probably be another George Floyd and another Derek Chauvin.
I still can't breathe. I'm still black. He's still dead. And so is Tamir, LaQuan, Trayvon, Breonna, Sandra, Ahmad, Philando, Eric, Michael, Rekia, Atatiana, Emmett and them.
— Sally Hemings Ghost (@LaryciaHawkins) April 20, 2021
Grateful for justice rendered in Minneapolis. Let’s remember today the family of George Floyd. And let’s work together for a new era of racial justice and American hope.
— Russell Moore (@drmoore) April 20, 2021
From @ISAIAHMN leader & board member @DonaldCrumbley #GeorgeFloyd #DerekChauvinTrial pic.twitter.com/plsZiEEw1X
— Faith in Action (@FIAnational) April 20, 2021
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8
— Karen Swallow Prior (Notorious KSP) (@KSPrior) April 20, 2021
This conviction was the right thing, but that it wasn’t a sure thing calls us to work harder to change the racism, violence, & white supremacy ingrained in our society. May our commitment deepen as we work harder to bring God’s justice to the world. #DerekChauvinVerdict
— Amy Butler (@PastorAmyButler) April 20, 2021
We have a lot of work to do to get there, and it starts with Congress passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to enact meaningful reforms and move us closer to the founding ideals of our democracy.
— Reverend Raphael Warnock (@ReverendWarnock) April 21, 2021