Tribute to George Floyd in Paris

Tribute to George Floyd in Paris

It is in a context of global mobilization that the tribute to George Floyd was held in Paris this Tuesday, June 9, 2020. This umpteenth assassination by the American police forces of an African-American echoes in France. It recalls the “suspects deaths” where the investigations were not made properly which led to acquittals. The political battles that these cases provoked, opened the wounds of the families of the victims each times, scandals after another, words hurts, thoughts kills and condones these acts. Experts parade on T.V. sets, trays, everyone goes with their theory, appealing to voters and yet. This violence that many deny exists, I saw it, I witnessed it.

But it would have had to happen on the other side of the Atlantic for french to talk about it and go on the streets. The United States will have had to mobilize so that here “stands up” and “we demand justice” for these French people who died under their knees or strangled … As if here we could not form our own opinion. Yet there have been other George Floyd too. There were Zyad, Bouna, Adama, Cédric, Wissam, Malik … and many others … where were all these people who came today with these signs written in “English” where were these elected officials who come to the “Place de la République” to be indignant behind their “tricolor” scarves once it’s too late …

Better late than never, certainly, hoping it is the right one. But unfortunately there is a long way to go, as much consciousness awakens in one camp, languages loosen in the other.