GEORGE FLOYD DEATH
George Floyd Memorial Fund: how much has GoFundMe page raised?
Donations have flooded in on a GoFundMe set up by the family of George Floyd, who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.
A GoFundMe page set up by the family of George Floyd, a Minneapolis man who died during an arrest on Monday, has raised nearly $5 million since it was launched on Wednesday.
Police officer charged over Floyd death
Floyd, an unarmed black man, died in police custody after a white officer handcuffed him and knelt on his neck for several minutes, despite the 46-year-old pleading that he could not breathe. The incident was filmed by a bystander, who then shared the video on social media.
The officer seen kneeling on Floyd's neck was sacked on Tuesday - along with three others - and it was announced on Friday that he has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
Around $4.9m raised on GoFundMe page
Created by Floyd’s brother, Philonise, the GoFundMe page reads: “On May 25, 2020, my life shattered as I learned of the tragic passing of my dear brother, George.
“My family and I watched in absolute horror as the now infamous and horrifying video began to spread quickly throughout social media. What we saw on that tape left us shell shocked; a white Minneapolis police officer kneeling directly on my brother's neck, obstructing his ability to breathe.”
The GoFundMe has been set up to “cover funeral and burial expenses, mental and grief counseling, lodging and travel for all court proceedings”, Philonise Floyd said, adding: “A portion of these funds will also go to the Estate of George Floyd for the benefit and care of his children and their educational fund.”
At the time of writing, $4,885,280 had been donated by around 197,000 contributors.
Floyd death leads to unrest across the US
Floyd’s death has sparked days of violent protests that have spread from Minneapolis to cities across the United States. You can follow live coverage of the unfolding situation here.