Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

'Black lives do, in fact, matter': US newspapers react to George Floyd verdict

Derek Chauvin was found guilty of Floyd’s murder yesterday.

THE WORLD IS still reacting to yesterday’s verdict in the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis last year.

Chauvin was convicted of murdering the African-American after a racially charged trial seen as a pivotal test of police accountability in the United States.

The jury deliberated for less than 11 hours before finding 45-year-old Chauvin guilty of all three charges against him.

Newspapers in the United States and elsewhere have given their reaction.

The Washington Post reports that Floyd’s family “say they can breathe again” and that there were “tears and jubilation” outside the court following the verdict.

WApo Washington Post Washington Post

The New York Times said the verdict was a “rare rebuke of police violence in the US”,  describing the reaction afterwards as one of “catharsis and relief”.

NY TImes New York Times New York Times

The Wall Street Journal opted for a more low-key splash, simply stating that Chauvin faces up to 40 years in prison.

WSJ The Wall Street Journal The Wall Street Journal

USA Today shows an image of black Americans embracing, running with front-page analysis stating that the verdict means that “black lives do, in fact, matter” and that it has provided a “glimpse of what justice in policing looks like”.

Ezc5OnIWQAA5McB USA Today USA Today

And Minneapolis newspaper the StarTribune described the verdict as “a moment of victory in a history of injustice”.

EzeDTVoVkAQcxKW StarTribune StarTribune

‘Justice for all of America’

Elsewhere, there were scenes of relief across the US following the delivery of the verdict.

Crowds which had gathered outside the Minneapolis courtroom erupted in cheers afterwards, and some wept tears of relief.

Celebrations soon moved to the south of the city, where more than 1,000 people came together at the street corner where Floyd suffocated to death under Chauvin’s knee.

George Floyd’s brother Rodney told the AFP news agency that black people in America had been victims of deadly injustice at the hands of the authorities for hundreds of years.

“We needed a victory in this case, it’s very important, and we got it and hey, we might actually breathe a little bit better now,” he added.

Floyd family lawyer Ben Crump hailed the conviction as a landmark victory for civil rights and a springboard to legislation currently before Congress to reform police forces in their dealings with minorities.

“This verdict is a turning point in history and sends a clear message on the need for accountability of law enforcement,” he tweeted.

“Justice for black America is justice for all of America!”

US President Joe Biden called members of the Floyd family to say he was “relieved” by the verdicts, then later he and Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the nation in televised remarks.

“This can be a giant step forward in the march towards justice in America,” Biden said, as he called on citizens to “unite” against racism and violence.

Former US president Barack Obama says the conviction of Chauvin was correct, but only one step in the fight for justice.

In a statement, he added that true justice required Americans to understand that “Black Americans are being treated differently every day” and that millions live in fear that their next encounter with law enforcement could be their last.

- Contains reporting by © AFP 2021.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
57 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute mickmc
    Favourite mickmc
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 1:31 PM

    And if they accepted the original proposal they’d be better off. Once again we have the union bosses leading their member on a merry dance to no where.

    184
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Soccer T's
    Favourite Soccer T's
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 2:36 PM

    @mickmc: At least 87% of the union members voted. Compare this to the numbers of teachers who actually voted to give ASTI a “mandate” for industrial action! Usually around 35/40%

    28
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Soccer T's
    Favourite Soccer T's
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 2:51 PM

    @Soccer T’s: Correction: I see that on the last Asti ballot it was 77% of members who voted which probably accounted for the very narrow margin of victory for more industrial action (only 52% in favour) Nice of them to actually turn up to vote this time compared to the vote in 2015 when only a handful of members actually voted, meaning the delusional militants got their way. This is our kids future they are destroying while they couldn’t even take the time to vote!!

    Interestingly the kids sitting the junior cert in a few weeks are the kids who should be sitting the new junior cert 3 years after it was supposed to be introduced!!

    https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/teachers-threaten-further-industrial-action-after-split-vote-1.2364660?mode=amp

    11
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute booby sandwiches
    Favourite booby sandwiches
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 4:33 PM

    biggest climbdown in history PMSL

    Leo is going to sort these evil unions out #Leoforleader

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Adrian™
    Favourite Adrian™
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 1:39 PM

    What are the terms they are agreeing to? And compared to what they were first offered? Bit more info wouldn’t go astray in the story.

    77
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Keith Grant
    Favourite Keith Grant
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 1:29 PM

    Looks like all those weeks of strike were well worth it ay?? Ahahahah

    82
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Keith Grant
    Favourite Keith Grant
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 1:28 PM

    Hahahahahah

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute abcyz
    Favourite abcyz
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 1:39 PM

    The union & some drivers were on Liveline etc saying our OAPS & disabled shouldn’t be allowed free travel even tough it was and is widely used for hospital appointments etc. There wasn’t much challenge by media presenters during the strike about the unfair travel card demonisation stories even by drivers themselves on liveline.

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute dead right
    Favourite dead right
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 2:30 PM

    @abcyz: thats absolute b@llox your spouting no driver or union representative ever said the people you mentioned shouldn’t be allowed travel for free not once.

    22
    See 4 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Soccer T's
    Favourite Soccer T's
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 2:40 PM

    @abcyz: That’s total bull! They suggested that we should revisit the payments made by the government to the free travel scheme. It’s a fixed amount each year no matter how many actually use the service. They were making the point that a huge number of pensioners never even use the travel pass. With the new travel pass surely they can implement a system of “use or lose”. Why should the taxpayer pay for something that isn’t being used? If a pensioners travel pass is cancelled due to lack of use they should be allowed to reapply but simply making blind payments is ridiculous

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Soccer T's
    Favourite Soccer T's
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 2:41 PM

    @Soccer T’s: Or maybe we should just offer giving every adult children’s allowance just in case they have kids

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute dead right
    Favourite dead right
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 2:56 PM

    @abcyz: there wasnt much media challenge on the issue beacuse it was never said ah well you got 26 likes good try

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stouts O Shea
    Favourite Stouts O Shea
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 5:25 PM

    @Soccer T’s: your day s of scewing the public are over

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Neal Ireland Hello.
    Favourite Neal Ireland Hello.
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 2:04 PM

    Took their sweet time voting, didn’t they.

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gerry Carroll
    Favourite Gerry Carroll
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 2:57 PM

    Poor mites – already paid more than 40% over the private companies drivers and greed drive them to look for more – diddums. The blatant bleating for ‘all stakeholders’ to get involved was embarrassing; for stakeholders read chequebooks. I’m far from a fan of Transport Minister Ross but in this instance he was right not to dip further into taxpayers’ pockets to transfer their money directly into already overpaid drivers rabid with greed. Looking for a pay rise from a company already trading at a loss? Three weeks on strike and they got a pay cut, redundancies, new rosters, picking litter from buses they never did before, reduced overtime – good work lads.

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Terry Cahill
    Favourite Terry Cahill
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 1:59 PM

    Scared sitless ! So they were !

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul
    Favourite Paul
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 1:48 PM

    Shocked they back it and by a high margin.

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P.J. Nolan
    Favourite P.J. Nolan
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 2:12 PM

    @Paul:
    Didn’t thing that would pass

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gavin Redmond
    Favourite Gavin Redmond
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 2:17 PM

    And the unions saying there still may be a possibility of strike if the company change the agreement. So who is calling the shots.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul
    Favourite Paul
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 1:48 PM

    Shocked they back it and by a high margin.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gerry Carroll
    Favourite Gerry Carroll
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 4:39 PM

    Not sure it was the union leaving the charge on this – may have been the drivers driving (no pun intended) the union to enable their fanciful out of touch with reality demands

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eric Djemba-Djemba
    Favourite Eric Djemba-Djemba
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 10:00 PM

    Let it rot and die so it can be privatised and ran properly by a company. Don’t know anybody from Wexford that chooses bus eireann over the Wexford bus service as they are miles apart in quality and reliability best thing to ever happen.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jimmy jones
    Favourite Jimmy jones
    Report
    May 22nd 2017, 4:35 PM

    What an overpaid clown Dermot o Leary is . He has made them all look very silly

    14
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds