Protesters gather in Boston to decry death of George Floyd in police custody

BOSTON — Protesters chanted “Please, I can’t breathe.”

Dozens gathered in front of the Ashmont T stop in Dorchester on Thursday evening for 46-year-old George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minnesota.

“Another black body has been killed,” said Rev. Vernon K. Walker, a protester.

Demonstrators held up signs with names of other black lives lost in recent years.

“They need to be charged criminally. That was murder, period. Murder,” said T. Michael Thomas, a protester.

A Boston 25 crew captured protesters who gathered on all three corners, as police officers were set back throughout the streets, making sure things were peaceful.

Protesters told Boston 25 News they just couldn’t get through watching the video of the white Minneapolis police officer’s knee on Floyd’s neck, as he was gasping for help saying, “I can’t breathe.”

In honor of the late father or two, the crowd got down on their knees.

“My heart broke for him, and his family,” said Jared Hicks, a protester.

“It was horrifying. That kind of thing happens when the camera is off," said another protester.

"There is nowhere in any of our training manuals where kneeling on someone’s neck is a proper procedure to quell an arrestee’s behavior. We all condemn the actions of the 4 officers, their actions led to the death of Mr. George Floyd. A lot of people think the actions of a few are indicative of the actions of all the policing community that is not the case,” said Boston Police Commissioner William Gross.

The Boston Police Commissioner said the act of policing has been set back for years after what happened to George Floyd. The protest ended peacefully and there were no arrests made.

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