WATCH LIVE: Funeral Service for George Floyd

George Floyd, the African American man whose name has become a rallying symbol for racial justice, will be laid to rest today after a funeral service at the Fountain of Praise Church in Houston, TX. The event is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m. ET.

The funeral comes after numerous commemorative events for Floyd throughout the country, most notably the memorial services that were held in Minneapolis, Minnesota and his birthplace of Raeford, NC. It has been approximately two weeks since Floyd was killed while being arrested over a minor counterfeiting allegation, and ever since, his name has been the center of international rallies against police brutality and racial injustice.

While Derek Chauvin and his three former Minneapolis Police colleagues face criminal charges in connection with Floyd’s death, the ongoing civil unrest throughout America has raised new questions about how to counteract systemic racism within law enforcement. “Defund the Police” has become a prominent rallying cry among protesters, and the nation’s political leaders are debating whether police departments should be demilitarized, have their funding reallocated, or be completely dismantled in favor of a reconstructed system.

The service at the Fountain of Praise Church will be followed by a private burial at the Houston Memorial Gardens, where Floyd will be laid to rest next to his mother’s grave. Reverend Al Sharpton will deliver the eulogy for the service, and other VIPs expected in attendance will include Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congressman Al Green, former boxing champion Floyd Mayweather, and entertainers Paul Wall, Jamie Foxx and Ludacris.

Watch above, via NBC.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!