Former Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin has been found guilty of murdering George Floyd.
Chauvin, who is white, knelt on Floyd’s neck for several minutes as he lay handcuffed on the ground. Floyd was a Black man and his death touched off days of international protest.
Related: Here’s how to support the fight for Black lives even if you can’t protest in person
Chauvin was charged with second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Punishments range from 10-40 years varying on the charge.
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Chauvin was convicted on all three counts. He will be sentenced after a separate hearing, but his bail was revoked and he was taken into custody.
Floyd’s death, among other instances of police brutality, spawned weeks of racial justice protests worldwide after a video of the killing recorded by a teenage bystander went viral.
The verdict was met with celebration and caution in the queer community as LGBTQ people reacted online. Many leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement are part of the community.
guilty on all counts – #ChauvinIsGuilty #thankGOD
— ROSIE (@Rosie) April 20, 2021
Chauvin is the part of the iceberg above the water. Whether or not he falls doesn’t change the fact the system that buoyed him must be dismantled.
— Natasha Rothwell (@natasharothwell) April 20, 2021
LOCK! HIM! UP!
— Billy Porter (@theebillyporter) April 20, 2021
Justice.
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) April 20, 2021
Thank fuck. #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd
— Randy Rainbow (@RandyRainbow) April 20, 2021
A guilty verdict is reactive justice but now it’s time for proactive reform.
— R.K. Russell (@RKRelentless) April 20, 2021
THANK GOD🙏🏻🙏🏽🙏🏾
OH HAPPY DAY— Cher (@cher) April 20, 2021
GUILTY!!! 🙌🏾 #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd
— Symone (@the_symonee) April 20, 2021
Thank goodness. 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/C5i061bgBp
— Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) April 20, 2021
Justice & the beginning of healing prevail.
— Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn) April 20, 2021
Chauvin left in handcuffs. pic.twitter.com/JHk9B2ISjy
— Lou Raguse (@LouRaguse) April 20, 2021
I was born in Los Angeles just 2 days before the Rodney King Riots began. So good to know that things have indeed changed since 1992, almost 29 years to the day. ❤️🇺🇸 #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd
— James Duke Mason (@JamesDukeMason) April 20, 2021
GUILTY! #SecondDegreeMurder #ThirdDegreeMurder #SecondDegreeManslaughter #DerekChauvinTrial
— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) April 20, 2021
Thank God!!! #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd
— Chris Colfer (@chriscolfer) April 20, 2021
Justice! 🙏🏻
— Brian (@bpt326) April 20, 2021
This does not bring him back. And abolition is what I will continue to push for.
But I did not see that coming. Genuinely.
— Clarkisha Kent (@IWriteAllDay_) April 20, 2021
This was a toss-up in the eyes of the public. Remember that.
In a just world, this news wouldn't be shocking. The work continues.
— Rodericka Applewhaite 🚊 (@Rodericka) April 20, 2021
GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS.
You can believe your eyes. We must address the systemic racism that murders black men, women and children. #verdict #DerekChavintrial— Alec Mapa (@AlecMapa) April 20, 2021
GUILTY ON ALL THREE COUNTS! Game changer! Hallelujah!!!
— Todrick Hall (@todrick) April 20, 2021
A much deserved guilty verdict. And let’s remember the fight for justice doesn’t stop here.
— Eboné F. Bell (@ebonebell) April 20, 2021
The emotion, as a young Black man in this country, to have justice prevail in the Chauvin murder trial that has captivated the world’s attention is indescribable. While millions of people breathe a sigh of relief for this accountability, there is still so much work to be done.
— Shevrin “Shev” Jones (@ShevrinJones) April 20, 2021
George Floyd’s murder pushed many people to think more deeply about how white supremacy functions in our society. Regardless of the verdict and what is said about Chauvin, we need people to stay engaged and motivated in the fight to end systems of oppression.
— Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) April 20, 2021
