Banksy posts artwork paying tribute to George Floyd on social media

Family shares thoughts and memories at George Floyd funeral

The family of George Floyd spoke at his funeral on June 9 in Houston.

Famed and mysterious street artist Banksy, posted new artwork to his Instagram in light of the current events happening across the United States and the world since the death of George Floyd.

“At first I thought I should just shut up and listen to black people about this issue,” according to a post on Banksy’s Instagram. “But why would I do that? It’s not their problem. It’s mine.”

“People of colour are being failed by the system,” the message would continue. “The white system. Like a broken pipe flooding the apartment of the people living downstairs. This faulty system is making their life a misery, but it’s not their job to fix it. They can’t - no-one will let them in the apartment upstairs. This is a white problem. And if white people don’t fix it, someone will have to come upstairs and kick the door in.“

Banksy has long been creating artwork that reflects on current events and societal trends around the world.

As a tribute to healthcare worker battling the COVID-19 pandemic, the artist shared a piece on Instagram depicting a young boy playing with a doll that appeared to be a healthcare worker donning a cape.

What appeared to be a Batman doll and Spiderman doll inside of a basket is also seen in the photo, untouched by the child.

“Game changer,” read the caption of the image shared by Banksy.

Floyd’s death drew new attention to the treatment of black individuals in the U.S. by police and the criminal justice system.In the past two weeks, confederate statues have been taken down and many cities are debating overhauling, dismantling or cutting funding for police departments. Authorities in some places have barred police from using chokeholds and are rethinking policies on the use of force.

Floyd, a bouncer who had lost his job because of the coronavirus pandemic, was seized by police after being accused of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a convenience store. He was pinned to the pavement for what prosecutors say was 8 minutes, 46 seconds — a number that has since become a rallying cry among protesters.

Four Minneapolis officers were arrested in his death: Derek Chauvin, 44, was charged with second-degree murder. J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao were charged with aiding and abetting. All four could get up to 40 years in prison.Some of the mostly peaceful demonstrations that erupted after Floyd’s death were marked by bursts of arson, assaults, vandalism and smash-and-grab raids on businesses, with more than 10,000 people arrested. But protests in recent days have been overwhelmingly peaceful.

Democrats unveiled sweeping new legislation Monday that, if passed, would increase accountability of police officers by banning certain practices and significantly curbing immunity from legal consequences stemming from acts committed in the line of duty.

The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 would lower the bar for police officers to face criminal prosecution by allowing charges not just in cases where alleged misconduct was intentional, but also in cases of reckless misconduct. It also seeks to incentivize independent investigations at the state and local level and allow more “pattern and practice” investigations by state attorneys general and the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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