These are the last words of George Floyd, the 46-year-old man who died as Minneapolis police office Derek Chauvin pinned him down, kneeling on his neck for seven long, agonizing minutes, until he suffocated:
“It’s my face man
I didn’t do nothing serious man
please
please
please I can’t breathe
please man
please somebody
please man
I can’t breathe
I can’t breathe
please
(inaudible)
man can’t breathe, my face
just get up
I can’t breathe
please (inaudible)
I can’t breathe sh*t
I will
I can’t move
mama
mama
I can’t
my knee
my nuts
I’m through
I’m through
I’m claustrophobic
my stomach hurt
my neck hurts
everything hurts
some water or something
please
please
I can’t breathe officer
don’t kill me
they gon’ kill me man
come on man
I cannot breathe
I cannot breathe
they gon’ kill me
they gon’ kill me
I can’t breathe
I can’t breathe
please sir
please
please
please I can’t breathe”
Then his eyes shut and the pleas stop.
And America erupts.
*****
Right now, we have a choice. This can just be one more tragic death at the hands of US police — or the moment for change.
We are a movement of more than 60 million people — when we all speak up, we are deafening. So let’s raise our voices to join everyone calling for an end to these racist killings, and push those in power to do the same.
Sign this open letter with one click, and when it’s massive, Avaaz will publish it in major US newspapers and websites around the world. Let it be an anthem to end the killing and honour all those we’ve already lost.