Riots continue to sweep cities across the nation with looting and other crimes damaging communities and ruining lifelong dreams. While the focus of the protest is the treatment of George Floyd by police, many individuals have used this as an excuse to loot, rob and destroy local businesses and stores in their own home towns.,
In the midst of greiving, Terrence Floyd, brother of George Floyd, has spoken out against the violence and crime. Speaking to Good Morning America, Terrance Floyd stated that the criminal wave of activity is not what his brother would have wanted. When asked if he thought the unrest and crime was overshadowing what happened to his brother, he replied:
“Yes, I do feel like it’s overshadowing what’s going on. Because like I said, he was about peace. He was about unity. But the things transpiring now, they may call it unity, but it’s destructive unity. That’s not what my brother was about.”
He went on to speak about the disruption of local businesses and towns and the devastating impact rioting and looting would have on communities — and spoke about his brother’s nature and desire for peace and unity.
“It’s okay to be angry, but channel your anger to do something positive, or make a change another way. Because we’ve been down this road already. We’ve been down this road already. He would want us to seek justice the way we’re trying to do. But channel it another way. The anger, damaging your hometown, it’s not the way he’d want.”
As the family continues to greive, they also see thier loss becoming a national issue, and one that is being blamed for bad behavior in cities across the nation. By looting, rioting and performing acts of violence in Floyd’s name, protestors are damaging his memory and harming his family.
While Floyd understands the anger and the need to do something, he has spoken out publicly about the way some individuals are reacting to his brother’s death in many communities across the nation. Not all protestors are violent or engaging in criminal behavior — many are simply exercising their rights and peacefully assembling. These individuals are being overshadowed by the looters and rioters.
Video clips of grocery stores with empty shelves and even a Target store picked clean of merchandise continue to circulate, further tarnishing the cause and adding to the grief felt by Terrance Floyd and the rest of the family. By committing these acts under the guise of protesting, these criminals are distracting the media and clouding the issues, making it more difficult to gain attention for their cause and concerns.
The looting and riots have slowed, leaving behind empty shelves and trash strewn streets; there is no end point in site — and chances are, where the protestors go, the looters will follow.
