Brooke Williams, the niece of George Floyd, asked “when has America ever been great?” as she paid tribute to her uncle at his funeral in Houston, Texas, on Tuesday afternoon.
“As long as I’m breathing, justice will be served for Perry,” Williams pledged. “That officer showed no remorse while watching my uncle’s soul leave his body. He begged and pleaded many times just for you to get up, but you just pushed harder. Why must the system be corrupt and broken?”
“Someone said, ‘Make America Great Again,’ but when has America ever been great?” she then asked, alluding to President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign slogan.
President Donald Trump has called Floyd’s death “very sad and tragic” and vowed “justice will be served” in his case.
Floyd, 46, died on Memorial Day during an arrest by Minneapolis police officers responding to a report of a man passing a counterfeit bill at a store. Video captured a white officer kneeling on the neck of the unarmed black man for nearly 9 minutes before he died, setting off protests around the world.
Memorial services were held for Floyd in Minneapolis, New York, and North Carolina last week. On Monday, thousands of mourners lined up for a public visitation at the Fountains of Praise Church in Houston.
Tuesday’s funeral, which began at 11 a.m. CDT, is private but is being broadcast and live-streamed.
The UPI contributed to this report.