A group of 30 students gathered Saturday night at Richmond’s George Park to pay tribute to George Floyd.
The protest/candlelight vigil was organized by Zenobia Wiley and Cameron Krouch, both incoming seniors at George Ranch High School.
“People need to listen because this cannot go on any longer,” Wiley said. “America is finally tired; the world is finally tired of ignoring an extremely big issue.”
Wiley said she made the decision to hold the event because she wanted to inspire other students that their voices matter.
“I’m sure it would make [George Floyd] proud to know that we are doing all of this in honor of him, in honor of Ahmaud [Arbery], Breonna [Taylor] and the hundreds and thousands of other people who have wrongly died,” Wiley said.
The event featured several speakers, including Richmond Mayor Evalyn Moore.
“I was outraged that a man’s life was taken for $20, I was sickened at the way he was murdered and I was embarrassed that he was murdered by a white policeman, because that cast a sense of guilt on me and on all whites,” Moore said. “All these protests have made us all wake up and look at ourselves. I’m listening to you and we will make changes in Richmond.”
Holding lit candles, attendees gathered in a circle. They took part in a moment of silence lasting 8 minutes and 46 seconds – the length of time Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was captured on video kneeling on Floyd’s throat.
“I’m sure that silence might have been uncomfortable for some of you,” said Wiley. “You might not be used to silence, but I’m also sure that it’s very uncomfortable to die by suffocation.”