HEARTBROKEN family, politicians, Hollywood celebs and activists paid their respects to George Floyd at a powerful memorial for the man whose death has sparked global protests.
The service transformed into a fiery call for change in which civil rights leader Al Sharpton declared black people must demand “Get your knee off our necks!”
He also led the congregation in eight minutes and 46 seconds of silence – the length of time a Minneapolis cop held his knee on Floyd’s neck before he died 10 days ago.
As Floyd’s body arrived in a hearse at a sanctuary at North Central University earlier today, officers took a knee in a show of respect.
The service, which is the first in a series of memorials set for three cities over six days, saw family and activists honor his life and memory and call for change for black people.
Sharpton eulogized Floyd on Thursday, telling the crowd: “I want us to not sit here and act like we have a funeral on the schedule.”
“George Floyd should not be among the deceased,” he said. “He did not die of common health conditions — he died of a common American criminal justice malfunction.”
“It does not matter whether you wear blue jeans or a blue uniform, you must pay for the crime you commit,” Sharpton said.
Referring to President Donald Trump’s recent photo-op with a bible in front of a burned church, Sharpton said: “We cannot use Bibles as a prop. And for those that have agendas that are not about justice, this family will not let you use George as a prop.”
“George Floyd’s story has been the story of black folks,” Sharpton said. “The reason we could never be who we wanted — and dreamed of being — is you kept your knee on our neck.”
“We could never be who we dreamed to be, because you kept your knee on our neck. It happens every day, in every area of American life. It’s time for us to stand up in George’s name and say, ‘Get your knee off our neck.'”
North Central President Scott Hagan during the ceremony urged all universities across the US to start Floyd memorial scholarship funds for the “next generation” of young black Americans.
Speaking at the service, Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, said their family didn’t have much growing up, but that their mother worked really hard.
“I love my brother, man, we had so many memories growing up,” he said, adding that “everybody loved George,” explaining that people always “wanted to greet him and wanted to have fun with him.”
Another family member said Floyd was “the biggest LeBron James fan.”
Floyd’s family’s attorney, Ben Crump, said: “The plea for justice is simply this: he who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it.”
“He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really like cooperating with it.”
“What we saw on that video was torture,” Crump said, adding that all Floyd wanted from life is “what any of us want.”
Ahead of the service, guests filled in the room as people like Martin Luther King III and civil rights activist Rev Jesse Jackson paid their respects at Floyd’s coffin.
Seats were also reserved for actress Regina Hall, film producer Will Packer, Minnesota Gov Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Rep Ilhan Omar, and Sen Amy Klobuchar, among many others.
Throughout the next six days, mourners in three cities — Minneapolis, Raeford, North Carolina, and Houston, Texas— will be able to pay their respects at services honoring Floyd’s life.
On Saturday, Floyd will be brought to Raeford, North Carolina, where he was born, for a public viewing from 11am to 1pm ET at the Cape Fear Conference B Headquarters.
A memorial will then be held at 3pm.
Floyd will then be brought to Houston, Texas, where he will be buried.
A public viewing is scheduled on Monday, June 8, for Floyd, and his 500-person service will be held on Tuesday at the Fountain of Praise at noon ET, with a private burial to follow.
Former Vice President Joe Biden is expected to attend the service, Floyd’s family’s attorney said.
The mother of Ahmaud Arbery— the 25-year-old black man who was fatally shot, allegedly by three white men, in Georgia earlier this year — will also be in attendance at Floyd’s funeral, according to TMZ.
Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather, who never met Floyd, said he will be paying for the 46-year-old’s funeral.
Floyd’s brother, Terrence, attended a memorial for his brother in Brooklyn, New York, on Thursday, where Gov Andrew Cuomo said there will be a statewide moment of silence at 2pm.
The organizers of the memorials want to acknowledge the meaning Floyd had in life to his large family and the broader meaning he has assumed in death.
Before he spoke on Thursday, Sharpton, who will be giving eulogies in two cities, said: “It would be inadequate if you did not regard the life and love and celebration the family wants.”
“But it would also be inadequate … if you acted as though we’re at a funeral that happened under natural circumstances.”
“The family is not independent of the community,” he said. “The family wants to see something happen.”
Sharpton said Floyd’s final journey was designed with intention: Having left Houston for Minneapolis in 2014 in search of a job and a new life, Floyd will retrace that path.
“They collectively said we need to make the first memorial statement from the city he chose to go to make a living, that ended his life,” Sharpton said.
Floyd died last week after he was arrested for allegedly trying to use a fake $20 bill to buy cigarettes at a deli in Minneapolis.
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While Floyd was in custody, former cop Derek Chauvin held his knee of the back of his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Floyd died at the scene, and his death was ruled a homicide.
Chauvin, along with three other officers, were fired and charged in his death; the most notable charge being second-degree murder against Chauvin.
