Five years ago in Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin was recorded arresting George Floyd. The video was seen across the world as he pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds on May 25, 2020.
Chauvin was convicted of second degree murder and is currently serving a prison sentence.
The incident sparked outrage and unrest, prompting a nationwide movement toward police reform and racial justice.
“When it happened, we thought it would be that moment in history when things would change,” said Attorney Antonio Romanucci, who represented Floyd’s family in the aftermath. “What the federal government has not been able to do, the states have been able to do.”
Romanucci said Illinois has made strides in racial justice and reform in the past several years, including the house passing a bill inspired by Sonya Massey requiring more background checks for police hires, and working toward diversity, equity and inclusion citywide.
However, Romanucci fears the progress made is starting to slip backwards.
“Five years later I think we’ve seen that the progress we thought we were making is now maybe slipping away,” Romanucci told NBC Chicago.
Approximately 100 protestors gathered in Federal Plaza in Chicago Sunday to mark the five-year anniversary, and to condemn new executive orders from the Trump administration they say rolls back on the racial justice progress.
“They show time and time again they don’t stand on the side of justice despite their rhetoric, and we condemn them,” said Faayani Aboma with Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. “Those DEI initiatives are progressive initiatives that help even things out for oppressed people.”
Last month, President Trump signed an executive order calling for expanding federal support for state and local police, including strengthening legal protections and funding officer legal defenses.
It comes after the administration already rolled back diversity, equity and inclusion policies across the country, stating that hiring in all parts of government should be based solely on merit.
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