World

Memorial service concludes

June 5, 2020 8:30 am

Following the reverend’s eulogy, the crowd stands and claps along to another round of gospel music.

After the lively chorus winds down, Reverend Sharpton calls for a moment of silence – for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the same amount of time George Floyd was on the ground with an officer’s knee on his neck.

“As you go through these long eight minutes, think about what George was going through laying there for those eight minutes, begging for his life,” Rev Sharpton says.

“We can’t let this go. We can’t keep living like this.”

Many members of the audience close their eyes, reach out to comfort each other, and bend their heads in prayer.

“That’s a long time,” Rev Sharpton says after as attendees wipe away tears.

“There’s no excuse. They had enough time. Now what do we do with the time we have?”

With a final benediction, the memorial service has now concluded.